Missions are not easy, but it is the best experience that I have ever had.

hey Dad! so this was a good week. On Memorial day yesterday, we had a finding day with the whole Zone. Each zone in the mission had to meet up in some park and just find people to teach. Sadly, our zone was only able to find three people. The other zones creamed us! haha We have some of the richest areas so it is harder to find people here. It was a good day though. 

After we left the finding activity, we found a new couple to teach, so that was really cool. M and her kids are doing well. They finally came to our block of church instead of the 9 am block. ours is at 1 o'clock, and she made a lot of new friends so that was really great. We plan on giving her a date to work towards this Thursday when we meet with her again. Miss J is doing well, we might be able to get President Porter to come out with us on Wednesday. He doesn't know if he can yet or not. H is doing well, he finished the school year so he is with his grandma up in Indiana right now, but hopefully he will get back soon. That is all the news on our solid investigators for right now. I am trying so hard to build up our teaching pool, but it is kinda tough. We 225 a lot and contact a lot of former investigators each day, but not many people are interested. I am just wondering if I am doing something wrong or what? It is frustrating. haha 

That is cool you and Jake took the kayaks out. Now I really have to get one eventually. I am glad you got to spend some time with Brigham, that must have been fun to be in the mountains with your grandson. I am happy you got to get a new phone, I know how you feel with replacing my pump, this new one works so much better! hahaha 

I bet the Indy 500 was a super fun race to watch. I like that thought on adversity. That is so true, we can't just have all our burdens taken away, we can have them made light, but Heavenly Father won't take them away, because he simply loves us too much to do that. Burdens are for our good, they give us the traction we need to make it up the hill towards the Savior. With no load or discomfort, it diminishes the purpose of this life. We must experience a small part of what the Savior experienced in order to become like Him--exaltation is not a cheap experience. 

Thanks for all you do for me Dad, it means so much to be able to follow your example as I follow the Savior. Missions are not easy, but it is the best experience that I have ever had. I feel the spirit so much more in my life, and I now know the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father, and what all his other children can have as well. I love you Dad, have a great day and week. Have fun with that kayak. Talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom! so this was a good week. I wrote to Dad about the investigators and what we did yesterday, you will have to read his email. It was a good week, and it was hot so my laundry bag was quite heavy from sweat this morning. hahaha The humidity continues to get worse (haha) so now it is so sticky outside all the time. I got my strips, thanks so much! And I am doing good on supplies right now, I shouldn't need any for a few weeks. 

Elder B and I get along really great, we joke around a lot. He is feeling kinda trunky right now, so I have to push him some days, but he is a good guy. The most challenging thing this week was when we were riding up to a baptism interview and we almost got killed and popped Elder B's tire on some glass, so we were late to it. It just goes to show how much Satan will do to stop the work. hahaha Don't worry mom, this area is not too dangerous with bikes. hahaha Just kidding, I stay safe. haahaha 

So Nicole is doing well then? That is good. Yep Dad told me about his phone, that is good you got it upgraded. Oh, that is not fun with your knee. Hopefully you can get it figured out when you will be able to replace it and recover well. I am glad you are not in a huge amount of pain then, that is good. You must tolerate a lot! hahaha It must have been fun to have a picnic, I bet Brigham is going to love the mountains. 

It must have been a good lesson from Bishop, that is the Doctrine of Christ he was teaching, that is something that this mission really emphasizes. Without faith, repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and enduring to the end, you cannot become like Christ. You must apply faith to your life. The sacrament

is a huge deal to me. All those young boys passing and blessing the sacrament are literally standing in the place of Christ. They hold the holy priesthood of God and that entitles them to the ministering of angels and the ability to do things in place of Christ. They will hold the higher priesthood that allows them to heal and bless, it allows us to do what He would do and say. The sacrament and the priesthood make it all possible. Without those two things, this would just be a church that you could find anywhere else. 

I am glad you enjoyed the pics from zone conference. We used to be allowed to look at them, but now they changed the rules so we can't anymore, so i can't see them. I hope I looked good hahahaha. How are you today?

Mom: Hi! I am great today! 

How did you almost get killed? 

I love what you said about the sacrament.

Elder Sed: That is good! There was a car that whizzed past really close to us, so it wasn't really that scary. People play chicken with us all the time, but they would never do it for real. One guy was flipping me off and yelling at me. hahaha 

I am glad you liked what I said. President Porter has helped to teach me all that I know about it. The priesthood stuff comes from studying the Doctrine & Covenants. It is an awesome book, I suggest to study section 84, it is so cool. It has taken me a few days to pull it all apart. hahaha

Guess what? People are telling me that I look like I am 16 on a regular basis now, hahaha! so that is good. Then I tell them I am 19 (close) and they are shocked! hahahaha

For my birthday, I would love a small Ohio flag if you can find one. 

Mom: So, you have graduated from looking like a deacon! That is good! :) I’ll watch for an Ohio flag, but I don’t know if I’ll be able to find one or not. I’ll be sending your birthday package probably Friday, so you can get it next Monday, just before your birthday. J

Elder Sed: Wow, I did not even realize my birthday is is less than a week! holy cow! Well, thanks Mom for emailing me, I love you guys so much! Keep M in your prayers, I am praying so hard for another baptism and I feel very good about June 11th, so pray for that if you would. We still have to give her the date. Pray for her to get an answer and her heart softened. Thanks for sharing that, I try my best and sometimes it is hard to focus on how that makes me successful alone. I love you guys so much, have a great day! and week! I love you Mom, thanks for all the support you give me! Talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

Four flat tires in one day

Hey Dad! it has been a good week. i got the text about Brigham from Sister Porter almost immediately. that is so awesome, and i can't wait to meet him! you should get that boy some cammo! hahah 

Our investigators are doing well.  we started teaching the Hispanic family that just came back from vacation. it is a single mom with four crazy little boys, and they are awesome! the little kids love to tease us and stuff. their mom has been to church a few times before and was going to come yesterday, but got stuck in downtown Cincy with her sister, who she was driving around, so that really stunk. But, Miss J and her son B came to church, so that was good to see them there. we are still trying to get a meeting set up with President Porter so he can interview Miss J, but both sides are busy and hard to have available at the same time. 

we did find a new investigator this week who we will be going back to see in the next few days--that will be good. we are having a hard time finding in this area! we talk to everyone, but they are not always interested. however, we did have a miracle this week. the past Elders met this guy at a home down the street from us, and he talked with them a little so they gave him their number on a card. Last Monday he called us just after we got in and said he wants to feed us, so he called again this morning and is having us over on Saturday for a BBQ. that was awesome, we will see how his interest level is and everything, but that was way cool. 

the zone conference was awesome, i will write more about it in mom's email. that is a good idea we could use for Miss J, thanks Dad! we will have to try that. that is a cool thought from your meeting, i bet it was really good. I like that thought from President Eyring, it is so true that as we forget ourselves and get to work, the Lord will change us in ways that we never thought possible. it is not because we are focusing on just ourselves, but when you forget yourself and serve others diligently, you are serving the Lord, and He will send the blessings your way to help you. in turn, you start to change and apply the Doctrine of Christ in your life more, which causes us to change and become more like the Savior. missions are beautiful things, i am so grateful for the time that i have left to serve! this is the time when i will be growing the fastest spiritually, and I want to be able to utilize that time. well, it was great to hear from you Dad, thanks for all you do, it means a lot to have me out here.  I love you Dad, have a great week! talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom! so this was a good week. i am glad the baby came well! i did get both texts from Sister Porter about the baby and my pump. she actually forwarded the text about the pump, so i got your text! hahaha that was weird. 

i told dad about the investigators, so you can read about them in his email. the biking is fun--i like it. i am getting in good shape again between running and biking every day. it is awesome hahaha. 

so the most challenging thing that happened this week was either having the last Zone conference with President Porter (i did tear up hahaha), or having to fix 4 flat tires all in the same day! it was a funny story.  we rode to the library that morning, and when we came out afterwards, my tire was completely flat. i pumped it up and then i told Elder B "the race is on boy!" so we hauled on up the hill to a bike shop a few miles away on the way to our apartment. i bought a new tube and put it in and it all looked good so we started home. halfway there it went flat again! now it was getting late so we just walked the bikes the rest of the way.  then we went back after lunch and the bike shop owner fixed it for free, which was a miracle, but not only that, he tuned my breaks and my wheel hubs for me for free as well! so we started off, and 10 minutes later it is flat again. i am not kidding! we took it back and the owner found a microscopic piece of glass in my tire, then then fixed it again for free. since then, i have not been back! hahaha knock on wood! 

the biggest tender mercy was Zone conference and the impressions i had, it was awesome. we talked a lot about the sacrament and President even got permission to give us the sacrament. it was a neat experience, and i got to help pass it, it was cool. i learned some cool stuff. i will miss President Porter so much, I love that man. you will have to go to his homecoming for me and record it, that would be sick!

Also at Zone conference, i learned the significance of consecrated oil. when an olive is pressed for oil, it is put under immense pressure. the Savior was also put under immense pressure when he suffered at Gethsemane, and he bled through every pore. the oil that "bleeds" from the olive is like the blood the Savior bled for us. the consecrated oil represents the healing power of the atonement and will give power to heal. that was a cool lesson from talking about the sacrament, that was one of the thoughts that i had. 

that is funny Dukie had a vacay at the boarders' while the baby came. hahaha wow, an hour of sleep, you were tired i bet! hahaha almost as tired as me! hahaha just kidding, mom. that is so crazy about the Angel Moroni getting struck by lightning! a cool thought about that--the statue protected everyone just as Moroni will give the call to let everyone know when the Savior comes--he has got our back. 

i also had a cool experience when riding up a really steep hill this week. i was praying and asking for strength to make it, when suddenly i felt like i did have angels around me helping me and cheering me on. it was super cool! you know who those angels are don't you? family and future family, it was super cool. 

So yep, Animas said they will replace my old pump for free, it is the same exact pump, so it wasn't hard to program it. now i just have to send the old one back. they gave it one day shipping so that was cool. well, that is all for the week, how are you doing?

Mom: I am doing great!!! I am heading up to Logan later to help Nicole, Jeff, and Brig settle in at home. I will be there overnight and Tuesday. It'll be fun. 

I am glad you got your pump set up and all is well with it. Don't forget to send back the old one asap....they like those back so they can figure out why it failed and prevent it in the future. They are serious about those things! :) 

We will definitely go to pres porter's homecoming, you can bet on that. 

Elder Sed: sweet! just remember to record it for me so i can listen to it. i am really going to miss that man. for my birthday, i would love the Nike socks, just like the ones i have that go halfway up your calf--size 6-8, or the mediums. i need a new backpack, but i want to wait to see if i get a gift card or something. i would also like a fitness watch that measures steps, distance, calories and things like that, but those are kinda pricey so if I don't get one then that is okay. other than that i don't know what i want. hahaha

oh, i am mailing that old pump today.

Mom: Okay, good! How are your numbers? Did you adjust your basals with all the exercise? 

Elder Sed: yes i did, so i am fine tuning them now. it took some getting used to, but they are doing pretty well now.

well, i have to go now Mom, it was great to hear from you. enjoy seeing the baby! give him a hug for me. i love you guys so much! have a great week. thanks for all you do for me! oh--please send me my test strips this week, i need some more. thanks! 

-Elder Sedlacek

Leaders change patterns

Elder Sedlacek snapped this pic of a double rainbow.

hey Dad, it was a good week. we were able to find some new people to teach this week, and that was super cool. as for all the other investigators, Miss J came to church with her son B, and then no one else made it. it seems like the elders before us hadn't really been finding, so we have had to really put a lot of effort into finding and getting referrals. all the investigators we have that we didn't find our selves are eternigators, so right now we are working the lists and stuff. we biked a lot this week! we went all around to the edges or our area, and it was pretty fun. hahaha the hills here are nothing like the hills in Utah, as far as length and grade, but man! they are rolling, so it is just one after another! hahaha it really gets you a good workout. 

we have been trying to find some Less Actives to work with as well, and we have found a lot of people who don't want to be contacted. it's pretty sad. that is pretty much all that is new for this week--we are just getting the lay of the land figured out--i have the area mapped out pretty well now just by biking most of it. that helped so it is pretty nice. 

you drove to Washington? that is a long drive! holy cow! i bet that was fun though. did you do it in the truck? that is awesome. hopefully, i will get to go back to visit some areas here later on. the scripture you shared is one of the scriptures we have to memorize to get our pins. i like that scripture, you can apply it to so much. the Lord will always be with us, we don't need to get discouraged, things will work out. 

like Jake, i hope i can go with my investigators to the temple as well, but first i need some more baptisms! hahaha i am trying so hard to get some, but it just doesn't always work out that way. i will get some more though. well, i hope your work catch-up day is going well, that was some time worth spent, hopefully you can get caught up fast. don't worry about the sports update, if you don't have time you don't have time hahaha. that is cool thought the hockey playoffs are coming up. that will be fun for you to watch. that is sweet Jake got that kayak. i have always wanted one, that is super cool. that is awesome! i will have to get one as well. 

that is true about members doing the finding, that is the way it should be done. i should not be a good finder, but unfortunately that is the way it is here for now, but we will change it. haha leaders change patterns, and President wants me to lead, so i will do it. it makes the work so much easier. the members are good about coming with us in this ward, we just need to get some referrals coming. well, that is about it for this week. oh yeah--so every morning we run around a track in our complex, i have been able to run 4 miles in around 20 mins every day the past week, it turns out jumping rope makes you quicker as well! hahahaha tell Jeff to beat that! hahaha well, i will talk to you later Dad! i love you Dad! have a great week!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom! so this was a good week. we worked hard and it paid off. we found a few new people to teach and got a lot done. we are getting the lay of the land all figured out and everything, getting lots of biking done! hahaha my metabolism is speeding way up (hahaha) i also need to adjust my basal rates because i keep running low {blood sugars} with all the biking up hills and whatnot. 

the weather has been good. the other day it was kinda cold and we were biking so it gave me a slight cold. i am just getting over it now.  i told Dad, but also every morning we run around the lake at our complex and it is a mile long. i run 4 miles every morning in about 22 mins, it is awesome. i even ran a 5:30 mile the other day, i have decided i might run when i get back. :)  hopefully, the baby comes soon, you will have to let Sister Porter know. that will be good to get some plants in the ground, so you can have a garden this year. 

i will let you know when i need more diabetes stuff, thanks Mom. that is cool all those kids in the ward are graduating. I am glad you got to see the dance stuff and the concert, i bet that was all pretty fun. i am sure that it was fun for Jake to visit his mission. i am glad your week went well! that is about all for my week, we are just working hard and trying to baptize. thanks for your example! 

Mom, by the way, when is my next pump coming? the screen on this one is getting hard to read, the screen is darkening. i'm not sure why.

i have to go now mom, thanks for emailing me, i love you! have a great week! grab life by the horns!

-Elder Sedlacek

There you have it--cutting lawns pre-mission DID help prepare me for my mission.

It's no trick of the eye.....Elder B IS shorter than Elder Sed! 

hey dad! so this was a good week. i told you a lot about the investigators yesterday, and that was really fun to Skype! i have grown since I came out hahaha! i have to be careful when i wear my long sleeve shirts, or i could rip them. they are small around my shoulders now. 

just some fun info about the apartment complex where we live: we have a small pond in the middle and we can fish in it without a license, since it is private property. Elder Bosworth and I and the other Liberty Zone Elders (one is my old zone leader, Elder Barrett. he is a cowboy so he loves that stuff hahaha) will be doing some fishing! Literally a crap ton of geese and ducks live in West Chester, so constantly these geese fly over at perfect shooting height. It drives me up the wall hahahaha. All the roads we bike on are very skinny two-lane roads, and there are no sidewalks so it is fun to hold up traffic when we go anywhere! hahaha 

that is good you got to go the cemetery to visit Grandpa and Grandma's graves. The three-way call for Skype worked out pretty slick. That was a great idea, I am glad ya'll got it worked out. I am glad you got to go to Jeff's graduation. Thanks for the updates Dad, as usual. I bet that was fun to move A & J into their new place. I'm really glad they found a nice place to move into. I got a great workout as well digging out some stumps, one was about half the size of our pine tree stump, it was hard work hahaha. They call me and Elder Bosworth the dynamite duo sometimes (hahaha) because "dynamite comes in small packages" and we work hard! hahaaha. {Note: Elder Sedlacek's new companion is actually shorter than Elder Sedlacek is. This probably won't happen very often!}

That is so very true from Elder Renlund, it all starts with faith. The first step in the Doctrine of Christ,  is that as we increase faith, we increase everything else as well. Faith is the substance of it all, that is the most basic simple step you can work on--increasing your faith. We have to give people commitments to help them increase their faith and prepare for covenants--no commitments, no covenants, no exaltation. It is all simply said, but harder to do. Thanks for all the support you give me Dad! I love following your example, you have taught me well. Thanks for that Dad! Well, it was great being able to hear from you twice in 24 hours. Keep up the hard work, you're the best.  I love you Dad. Have a great week, I will talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hey Mom, so this was a good week, but a tough week. It is hard being doubled in to a new area right after being doubled out of another (hahahaha) who woulda thought?! 

Elder Bosworth is a great missionary. He is pretty mature, but still loves to joke around some, so that is good. He is great. He is the District Leader. We are in a district with the West Chester Sisters. We cover the ward and split it between the two companionships. Elder B and I cover the west half. The members are very helpful from what I can tell so far. That guy I told you about yesterday, Brother F, is awesome. We mow his lawn every week and he loves us. He told us we made a really good first impression with how I cut his lawn, so there you have it--cutting lawns pre-mission did help with preparing me for my mission hahaha. 

It was pretty hard leaving Englewood. I love a lot of those members so much!  They are so cool. The S family I will have to keep in contact with--they are awesome. That is good Libby is feeling better. I forgot it was Cinco de Mayo and ate a samwich hahahaha. Not that i would have cooked something anyway! hahaha 

That is cool Jake has a summer job and apartment, good for him. I bet that was a fun Saturday up in Logan hahaha. I am glad Jake gets to go visit his mission. That would be way cool to do a trip like that with you guys when I get back. I hope it is fun, that will be awesome. Hopefully little Baby T comes soon! hahaha 

It sounds like you had some good talks in church for Mother's Day. It is cool you got to go to the Care Center, I love the people there. Thanks for telling me the cool story about the Western Red Cedar boat wood, that is cool, thanks Mom. I know that as we use the Doctrine of Christ and the atonement to change us, we can become better and come closer to Christ and be ready to meet him at the last day. I know that as we do what He has asked us, we will be blessed as well.

One thing for my birthday--I could use some more of those Nike socks, size 6-8, the mediums. That would be sick! The ones I have are wearing out soon.

I have to go now Mom, it was great to hear from you! I love you Mom, have a great day! and week! Talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

I know that as we continually strive to be better that we will become better, despite what the adversary tells us.

hey dad! this was a good week. but before we start, we are getting "white-washed"--doubled out! it kinda stinks, but i know the Lord has His reasons and it is what the area needs. we had a ton of grace this week, we had members out with us almost every day! it was sick! V and his daughter and brother came to church yesterday! they were late, so we thought no one was going to show, but then just when we had given up, he walked through the door! it was awesome! M's boyfriend (G) started in on the lessons as well, he is the most prepared person ever! he committed to live the Word of Wisdom the first lesson, and also the law of chastity. he went from smoking 9 cigarettes a day to 2 within 3-4 days! he said that they will either separate or get married asap! it was a huge miracle. they are for sure getting baptized! 

a few less actives have promised to come to church this Sunday, this area is rocking it! i am so sad to go, but i know it will pull through. we just have to trust in the Lord and get all the records spic-and-span today. we have a lot to do! hahaha not so much with records, but packing and such! hahaha 

yep, we had to officially ''drop'' a few people this week, but as you said they will have their chance to accept the gospel, whether that be in a few weeks or years or even later, they will thank us for doing our best. that is good you had a good Fast Sunday, ours was good as well. it was not as good as the last one, but it was still very good, especially to have a few investigators there! 

hahaha so you're not so tech savvy there, huh Grandpa?! hahahaha just kidding Dad, that is good you got it figured out in time for your lesson. i probably would have struggled as well. 

that was crazy, you had another wind storm! last night we had the biggest rainstorm i have ever beheld! i woke up to the thunder, it literally sounded like it was echoing from about 15 miles in each direction, it was so loud! think of the largest sea storm you can imagine and take the thunder from that and imagine that, it sounded like that! no kidding, it was insane. i was too tired to get out of bed, so i just listened to it before i passed out asleep hahaha. 

wow, A&J are moving! good luck to them! that is way cool USU players are going to the NFL, and that is too bad the Reds lost. thanks for the awesome update! 

i love that talk you shared. none of us are perfect, but we are working towards it. we may not always feel like it, but as long as we are utilizing the Doctrine of Christ in our lives, we are moving towards Christ, that is the goal don't ya know. i know that as we continually strive to be better that we will become better, despite what the adversary tells us and tries to convince us that we can't. well, we are short on time today, i will write more to mom. i love you Dad, have a great week! talk to you on Sunday!

hey Mom, so this was a good week. we had a few investigators at church this week, i wrote about that in Dad's email. Today i am short on time, so you will have to refer to that one for investigator news, I'm sorry. 

well, Elder Sutton and I are both being transferred out, it sucks, but i will trust in the Lord and it will all work out. i love this ward and area so much, it will be hard to leave. 

my week has gone by crazy fast as well. on Thursday we had a Zone meeting, and it was super awesome. i got some awesome revelation for myself. I was told to stop beating myself up for things i mess up, stuff like that, and to focus on how the Lord qualifies who He calls and how much He loves us. 

i did get the strips and batteries, thanks! so much! my favorite person was G. i wrote to Dad about him. the hardest thing was probably one day, can't remember which, we were not able to get any members out with us and all our appointments fell through, but it worked out at the last minute because a member suddenly decided to come with us. so we were able to see some people in the far reaches where the bus doesn't cover. it was awesome! 

when the baby is born, you could probably just call the mission office, they will probably let me know. thanks for thinking of that! well, i hope it all goes well, wish them luck for me! 

that is good the windstorm wasn't bad enough to cause any real damage. For Skype just plan on about 4-5 pm your time, but i have no idea since i am getting transferred. i think we can call to set it up the day before, but we will see. just keep an eye out, maybe i will get a member to text you. we will figure it out. 

i love that thought from D&C 11:20, that is awesome and a great scripture, thanks mom! it is true, when you think about it, as a missionary, we just have to keep the rules and do what we are supposed to and we will still see miracles, at least that. it is awesome, our life is simple when you think about it, easier said than done, but simple all the same. well, that is it for this week, how you doin? oh yeah, this week, that day when we had no members to come with us we spent in the 'hood where we could access, and by the end of the day, when i called a member, i literally without even meaning to said "How you goin'?"​ hahaha! 

Mom: Hey son, good to hear that you had a great week. I’m happy about all the success you had!

Transferred eh? I suppose you don’t know where?

When the baby is born, I’ll call or text Sister Porter. I have her number.

I wish you the best of luck tomorrow for transfer day!! I’ll be praying for you!! I Love you!!

nope, i don't know where I'm going yet, i will know tonight. even though i'll really miss the people and area here, i do feel very good about this transfer. i pray about every transfer and i feel like we did accomplish what Heavenly Father wants us to accomplish to the best of our ability. thanks for texting Sister Porter when you do, Mom!

i have to go now mom, sorry we could not talk more. i love you Mom! expect a card in the next few days, and have a great week! you're the best! talk to you on Sunday!

-Elder Sedlacek