I am excited to see what happens

"They actually say 'set' here instead of 'sit'! :) 

Brand new puppies! 

hi Dad, it has been a good week. General Conference was super awesome. i received so much revelation for mission life, and surprisingly post mission too. just some things that i will do to help keep me grounded and safe. we did get a new investigator, named C who came to watch the second session on Saturday. he is super into scouts, like HUGE into scouts. he is 21 and helps out with Anderson's local troop a lot. we are excited to help him see the fruits of the gospel, and he will have many friends for us to teach. he seemed to really like it, and was excited to meet with us again. he even biked to the church to get there because he doesn't have a car. 

we did not find a whole lot this week, but we went back to see M & L, and their husband/Dad is NOT fond of missionaries, so we have to stay clear of there for a while. we were kinda bummed about that. we saw D & K yesterday, and really helped them learn more about the Book of Mormon, so we hope they are reading it. we have not been able to see J, he has been busy and also sick.  we watched all the sessions at the church. 

that is really cool to see all those people from different backgrounds around the world. we really are blessed, i have really come to know this from the areas i have served in. it's so nice to be able to live around so many people with the same standards. 

that is cool you're getting so much finished with the floors and everything. hopefully, you will have fun in San Diego! 

i don't know if i have a favorite talk, i really liked how all the talks flowed from the nature of Heavenly Father and his plan of happiness, to spiritual improvement and listening to the guidance we receive. i will think of a favorite for next week. sorry, i can't think much right now, i have some food poisoning or some bug that i picked up last night. i feel a lot better but i am still really weak. well, thank you Dad for all your support! i love you so much, have a great time on vacation!

-Elder Sedlacek

hi Mom, it was a pretty good week. i wrote about investigators to Dad. we did get one to conference-- that was super cool, especially since we had just barely taught him the restoration a few days ago. 

time is going by so fast, it is crazy! i got a lot of direction for the rest of my mission and some guidelines and rules for myself after the mission. the rules i have won't be easy, but i know i have to have them, 'cause God told me to. my favorite quote: "I never said it would be easy, I said it would be worth it."  

i absolutely loved General Conference, i felt the spirit so much! it is always humbling to feel the spirit confirm that God is proud of me and i am doing the right things. it was an interesting experience. we got to watch all the sessions at the church, it was nice. 

i did get the test strips! thanks so much for the treats! yes, i got the blue pair of pants. i did not have a return address thingy for the other pair, but i have been slimming back down, so they should fit better pretty soon. 

i actually don't have a favorite talk yet, although i really liked  S. Mark Palmer's! i have had a similar experience as those missionaries, just not with obedience issues. the rich young man parable was referenced a lot, i really like that and the story about when Jesus calls his apostles. they literally just dropped everything, and ran. the Bible video of it is amazing by the way. there were a lot of great talks, but the one thing that really stuck out to me from the first, was when Pres. Eyring was speaking. it finally hit me, that i am a true extension of Him to declare the truth. i made me sad to think i will be done soon. it has reinvigorated the missionary spirit in me. i am so grateful to have the opportunity to serve as a missionary and to feel the spirit all the time, and to see so many blessings each day, and best of all to teach the gospel. thank you for sending me on a mission!

that must have been cool to have some food cooked by Carli, i always like the South American desserts like flan and stuff. she's right, it is so important to communicate! the reason me and Elder Payne got along so great was because we communicated so well. 

that must have been really fun to have everyone home for conference. that is always a fun experience. hahaha that is so funny about Molly, she is such a diva, but she is not assertive about it at all except to us hahaha. that is funny. 

Elder Hammond and i are staying put this transfer! i am happy to stay another transfer. in the blessing Elder H gave me to help me early this morning when i was really sick, i was promised success and that i have been prepared for this, it was super awesome. i am excited to see what happens.

well, got to go now Mom, thanks for everything! love you all so much! talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

We have been playing a fun joke on the members since I look so young...

hi Dad! it was a good week. i am enjoying the new area and my comp is a great guy, and an awesome missionary, so that is awesome. we have a lot more people to teach in this area. we have a few investigators that come to church and we almost got one there yesterday {D, she is awesome!}. we had a pretty good lesson with her and her daughter, and she seems to be pretty solid, but skipped out on church yesterday.  we did not get to meet with all of our investigators this week, i guess some were busy. we have a bunch of less actives and returning members to visit too, so we are always having a full schedule and i really like that.

i am glad Kyle Busch at least one the first stage of the Nascar, that is weird that they run it in stages now.

too bad you have snow now hahaha, we have been in the 60's and only got two cold days this week in the 20's, but the temps jumped back up today, and we went on a run with a member this morning. that was nice. it sounds like the wood floors are going to be pretty nice, that will cool to see. i like how you have related your job to the purpose of helping others keep covenants, that is so cool.

i had assumed we would get a new pass along card like last year, that will be cool. i always like using the specialized cards. i bet it was fun to watch the weekend sports with Jake haha. it is really cool that Sam is starting now!  i am excited for the March Madness bracket.

i like the new youth album they have released about the youth and asking God, it is pretty good. some of the missionaries think it's cheesy but i like it, it has some good messages. we are literally in the mist of darkness, it is a crazy time we live in. if people just understood more about Heavenly Father and utilized his help, the world would be a lot better place.

i am thankful for being raised in the gospel, and that i get to learn and grow on a mission. my testimony has grown a lot lately, and i am thankful for that. if nothing else, i have a testimony and that's what counts. thank you Dad, you do a lot for me, it means so much. i hope you have a good day! love you!

-Elder Sedlacek

hi Mom! it has been a good week, and i am liking the new area and all the people we teach. my new comp is a funny guy, we already have plans to go to Betos and Vasa when we get home together hahaha. he went to Viewmont, unfortunately hahaha! 

we have been playing a fun joke on the members, since i look so young. we have tricked a bunch of them into thinking i am in training hahaha. we had a meal last night, and we told them i'm training, and then we busted out the restoration lesson and they were like, "wow, this greeny can teach good for being out 3 weeks!" hahahaha! it was funny. i wrote about our teaching pool in Dad's email. 

this week i had some flu-like symptoms start on Wednesday morning--headache, chills, fever, body aches, and cough. it was terrible hahaha. my fever was all over the map and so that stunk, but now i have just a nagging cough left. it is so annoying hahaha. i took some Nyquil the other night, and just passed out immediately hahaha. i am getting over it now, so that is good. 

the time has flown by for me, like i have all the memories of all this time, but it still seems like yesterday i got dropped off at the MTC. it is so weird. hahaha i will be home soon enough hahaha. 

it is crazy that Jessie and Carli are so far along, home and half way? that is crazy. at transfers i got to see the Connellys and that was super good. they are doing well. they seemed happy to see me and Elder Heumann, and it was really nice to see them again. 

Anderson is huge, but we only cover downtown. the sisters get the other part, all the country. bleh, i wish we had country! hahaha. Anderson is a Hoosier town. i like it. we have tons of 'hood people to teach hahaha so that makes it fun. 

when i was sick, i got a blessing from my comp. that itself was a tender mercy from what the blessing said. i definitely have a purpose in this area, and i was promised success as i do my best to accomplish it, so that was cool. 

i have 1 1/2 vials of insulin, so i will need more soon.  

that must have been fun to have Jake come home for the weekend. and i'm excited for the wood floors. 

i have been studying about our purpose and learning more about my purpose, it always helps strengthen my testimony. i printed off some talks to help me study it, it is super awesome. same with our gifts, i am still figuring out my gifts hahaha, it's so rewarding though to see them at work. to me that is a sign that Heavenly Father is proud of us, so that is good indicator when you see them working through you.

thank you so much for the package! i loved the beef jerky, it is so good! it was nice to get the package when i wasn't feeling too well. 

Mom: I'm sorry you were sick! Did you stay in any days because of it? Did it mess up your blood sugars too badly? And how was your last a1c?

no, i didn't stay in any days even though i could have. i just didn't want to. it didn't mess me up too bad, and my a1c was 8.3. i think i have better control now though, so it should be better next time.

okay well, i have to go now Mom, thanks for emailing me, i hope you have a great day! i love you Mom! talk to you next week!

-Elder Sedlacek

We really can't even comprehend how much Heavenly Father is involved in our lives.

hey dad, so this was a good week. we found a few new investigators and we saw a lot of grace, it was awesome! as of now we have been 225'ing a lot to find some new people. half of our teaching pool is hard to meet with because of busy schedules, so we are trying to find some new investigators to add to the pool. the new people we found this week will be meeting with us this week for their first lessons, so we will see how it goes. the weeks are really starting to fly by! it really seems like i was just emailing you! the days are blurring together all the time now hahaha. good thing i keep a journal. we had interviews with president porter this past week, and it was really good. i talked with president and he told me how much he has seen me grow and he said he is proud of me, and that i am becoming a leader. he helped me find my next step to work on, he is the bomb! that is awesome you are getting so much done at work, good job on the numbers and having the stock so good! has sarah been helping with the yard? it has been really nice weather this week, it hit 75 on saturday! it was awesome! it has been in the 40-50 degree range for the most part though, but i think it will be a nice spring as well (hopefully). it feels so good outside after having the teens for weeks hahaha. that is way cool about the car race, i was wondering about that. that is a cool pic! it is way cool the jazz won. cincy has the flyers hockey team, but I don't know if they are pro. that is cool about getting to go to jake's ward and logan on Sunday. i bet that was fun to see him and jeff and nicole. i like that thought about HF. i feel the same way, He is so involved in our lives we don't even know. just today when we were shopping, we stopped by goodwill to see if they had some shoes, cause my pros shoes are worn out (it's a pair i have worn every day that Ralph senior gave me for free) and i got a good pair of loafers that fit perfectly for $4! it was a huge blessing--now i have some meeting shoes. we really can't even comprehend how much He is involved with our lives, working to make it possible to have the blessings we receive. funny thing--so that air museum you told me about is out of our mission by a few miles, so we have asked president if we could go and he will let us go if we go with a member. so us and the other elders in our ward are setting something up for a district fun day for next week. i have heard awesome stuff about that museum! i like the thought from conference as well. that is something i have been working on, to never ignore an impression, and i have received so many more promptings than before, it has been awesome. this transfer i have felt way more guided than i have ever been. as of now, i am just trying to find those elect, and help them be baptized so they can follow the Savior. sharing this gospel makes me so happy, it is truly the greatest work and experience. thanks for all you do to keep me out here, it means so much! i love you dad! have a great day and week, it was great to hear from you as usual, talk to you later!

-Elder Sedlacek

hi mom! so this was a good week, it went by so fast! we did find a few new investigators and stuff that i wrote about in dad's email. as for the other people we work with, they are not progressing as fast as we would like. it is kinda hard to meet with half of them, and one i have not even met yet! they are super busy so we are trying to find some more by doing a lot of 225-ing and working with less actives. we have a really good referral lined up from a less- active lady, for a family. the mom is interested in learning more, so she is going to meet with us. 

the best part of the week was interviews with president, and the most challenging was being sick for half the week with a cold that is just getting over. luckily it is not as bad as elder parker's haha. there is a part member family we saw last night, who has an unbaptized daughter who is a lot like mia, but a lot more sass and drama--she is funny hahaha. 

my pump supplies are doing good, i will definitely let you know when i need more. that is too bad that you didn't get to go into the temple open house, but hopefully you will get too soon. thanks for the pics, it looks super great! 

it is crazy about [some ward missionaries] already getting home soon, although it does not surprise me, the mission flies by! it is incredible how fast. the weeks are really seeming like days, it is crazy. it seems like i wake up and go to bed a few times and then bam! i am emailing again hahaha. i keep having these really vivid dreams. one was about my future wife i think, and the other was about when i get home and how fast it went by, it is weird. i am glad you guys got to visit to logan, i bet that was fun! 

it really is truly amazing that joseph smith really did do what he did as a 14 year old boy. i know that he truly was a prophet and that he did restore god's true church, and that the Book of Mormon really is the true word of god. by reading it and studying its words we truly can come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. i have done this over the course of my mission and my love for Him has increased dramatically! i was looking back at my journal in the mtc and man, i didn't really have a testimony it seems like hahaha, it was so simple and now it has grown so much, it truly is my greatest possession. thanks for all you do to support me and keep me out here, it means a lot, this would not be possible without out you and dad! thanks!

Mom: I'm sorry you got sick! Did you have any trouble with your blood sugars? I have seen how much you have grown in 6 months--think how much more you will grow by the end of your mission. 

yep, i got sick but my BGs have been good still. it was kinda high last night, but other than that i have been good. yep, my testimony will grow a lot more hahaha that is funny that jake & jeff think i am emotional. hahaha what a funny joke! hahaha just kidding, i know. funny jake and jeff! although i meant that i cry more with spiritual stuff hahaha. 

Mom: So what is your favorite thing you have learned from President Porter?

it is hard to pick my favorite thing, but he is very knowledgeable about a lot of things. probably how to find our next step to progress towards so we can become who God wants us to be.

Mom: What does he have you working on next?

we are doing a purification challenge, and we each picked out a few things to get better at. mine was not having unapproved songs in my head haha, and just a few things like that. also I want to never ignore a prompting, but the most latest one is that i am going to study the atonement to understand it better.

well i have to go now mom, it was great to hear from you. I love you and all the fam so much, have a great week y'all!

-Elder Sedlacek

A visit to the doctor

This is the birthday cake made by the other Elders in Jake's apartment from the mix and frosting I sent in his birthday package. They did it up right! They even got the right number of candles. :)

Here's Elder Sed cutting in to the amazing cake. He looks amazing himself!! I miss him so much.

This is the praying mantis that is a "guest" in the Elders' apartment, since they "can't have pets." Elder Sed says he can't believe it's still alive.

Monday 9/23/13 Email

The weather has been NICE this week. It's just cool enough to not be hot, but not too cold.

I went to the doctor down in Kennewick for my cough. I have bronchitis and swollen sinuses. I am doing good, though. I got a couple samples of an antibiotic but I don't remember the name of it.

It is really important that we pray everyday for missionary experiences. That is one thing we are challenging the members up here to do for 21 days. We call it the 21 Day Challenge. They read the scriptures with missionary work in mind, and then pray for missionary experiences. Trust me, the Lord will give you them if you ask. I have seen it bunches of times already.

It would be awesome if you guys did buy a cabin sometime--hunting land!! I'm glad you had fun and Craig and Shannon's cabin. It sounds like a good time.

Our investigator Jim drives a truck as you know, and he is really busy til Christmas, so he can't be baptized until after Christmas. There isn't a good chance of me still being here in Ellensburg by then, but it could happen. It really sucks though because he is sooooooo ready!  He was really excited, and then his work got crazy. He works two jobs.

We haven't met the 40 new investigators goal yet, but we have reached 28. Almost there! I know we can make it though. With God, nothing is impossible. We as a zone just put our faith in God and trust Him that it will work out, if we do our job.

I went to a member's house yesterday who are really big hunters. They have 4 Labradors, 3 whites and 1 black. They looked so much like Duke and Molly! It was fun to be able to pet them and pretend they were Duke and Molly haha. The dogs were so funny. They live on a big ranch, so the dogs just run around, swim and play in the mud. It was fun to watch them. I love Labs!

Well, I am doing good up here in Ellensburg WaRshington (everyone up here pronounces Washington as WaRshington). I hope you guys are doing good too! I love you guys!

Love,
Elder Sedlacek