Great week in Pleasant Grove, UT

M&M - Mormon Missionary 200 days out!

Mt. Timpanogos Zone

Awesome family here in Pleasant Grove!

Hello family!

So things have gone really well this past week!

We had what's called Zone Training Meeting. This is where all 3 districts of the zone gather together and we have a big meeting where we are all able to learn new things. It was a very spiritual and uplifting meeting and I'd probably say it was one of the best that I've been to!

So over the course of the past week, we've been meeting with an amazing investigator that I mentioned to you previously.  She is still committed to her baptismal date of March 7th. She knows that what she's doing is right and she believes it to be true. Her sister has been sitting in and listening to our lessons. The sister's boyfriend is a member and served a mission in Bolivia. He is so awesome and a great example to others! Anyway, her family is struggling with her decision to be baptized but we are praying that they will feel the spirit and desire to know about the gospel.

As far as baptisms go, I had the opportunity to go back to Spanish Fork to witness a baptism of someone who I worked with right up until I left. It was so cool to see her get baptized!

Unfortunately as typical missionary life goes, we had several lesson cancellations this week. People get busy with life. So I don't have a lot to report on. However, as far as the missionary work goes on the Stake level, we're getting the Mission Leaders involved to help increase our missionary efforts here in Pleasant Grove. Can't wait!

What else....oh! So next month, the mission is taking all of our iPads and giving us brand new ones that is funded by the families of the missionaries.

The pictures that I'm getting sent are so nice! I love seeing how y'all are doing. Jenise sends plenty of pics of the little man. How is baby Rox doing? I don't hear much from J and MJ so I'm mainly going off of what's on Facebook.

Anyways, today we're gonna go play some indoor soccer. Guess what! A couple of days ago, I found out that I'm exactly the same (if not a little lighter) weight as when I left home! I put on like 10 pounds in SF and I lost in all in a period of 2 weeks haha. I'm now back at 170lbs haha. So that's my highlight of the week. Elder Greenacre and I
are more health and fitness oriented together so we make it work. 

Saw Elder Capt again this week. He's doing well. He's getting married soon.

Anyways, Dad, when you sent that email about the Daytona 500, I couldn't help but run around the room screaming in excitement! That's going to be such an awesome race a few years from now! Looking forward
to it!

I can't believe how much snow the east coast has gotten! They've taken quite a beating this winter and I've been out here chillen with 50 degree weather and sunny!

Pics will follow this email.

Love you all!

Hasta en la proxima semana!

-Elder Ahrens

Assigned to Pleasant Grove, UT & tie burning!

Surprised Jordan Capt who served his mission in Manassas, VA!

Tie burning ceremony!

Serious fuel!

6 months as a missionary!

Greetings from Pleasant Grove, UT!

So this has been a very interesting and eventful week. I found out I was getting transferred and I had to say my goodbyes to all the families I'd gotten close to. I've met and come to love so many people in Spanish Fork. Fortunately, I'm not too far from there, and many said they would come visit me!

Then, transfer day came. I was scrambling that morning to gather the rest of my belongings and squeeze it into my suitcase. (Note to self: buy more space bags next time) gosh those things are miracle workers. Anyways, we stuck my bags in the car and off we went to Provo.

There I got to see a lot of my missionary friends who were also there for transfers. Chatted with them and caught up. Eventually, we moved into the chapel. We all sat down and began. President McCune introduced the rookies and assigned them to their trainers. THROWBACK! After that the assignments began. They started with Eastern Utah and the Uintah Basin Zones...I was a little bummed because I wanted to go out there. Nope, we got to the Timpanogos Zone and President called me up and assigned me to the Grove Creek area with Elder Greenacre. We did our usual bro hug and off we went into the gym to collect my belongings. There I found out who was in my zone and district. Let's just say there are going to be very fun zone activities and training meetings! What I thought was kind of neat was that one of my Zone Leaders in Spanish Fork, Elder Jiles, is now my Zone Leader here in Pleasant Grove! Pretty happy about that. So after the conversing and goodbyes, we took my stuff out to our car. Super stoked we have a car! It's a 2013 Chevy Malibu LS! Pretty nice car. Spacious and comfortable!
Elder Greenacre is the designated driver so I'm just along for the ride. Can't tell if I like the break or if I want to drive. Oh well. It will eventually turn to me.

We got back in our area and began doing what we do best. I met some really cool families and was asked all of the usual questions. Name? Where are you from? How long have you been out? Where have you served in the past? Family? Girlfriend? Lol pretty happy I left all sort of relationships at home. That night we got back to the apartment and I unpacked everything. We live with the Walker family. They're an older couple and we live in the basement but we share the middle floor. It's really nice here!

So let me tell you a little bit about my companion. His name is Elder Greenacre. He's from Bournemouth England. He's been out almost a year. He has served in Payson, Orem, and here.

Let me tell you a little bit about our area. Pleasant Grove is kind of like Woodbridge. It's ALL suburb. Personally, it's a little big for me. I preferred Spanish Fork just because of how small it is mixed with rural living. Yeah but I'll manage. It's a good area! Plenty of work for us. Lots of people to meet. Yeah!

So as you may know, I hit my 6 month mark! I guess you saw that pic on Facebook. We went over to our "mom and dad's" house and burnt our ties. The only reason Elder Greenacre is burning his is because he never did it at his 6 month mark. Pretty soon here though he'll be burning a shirt to celebrate his year mark! So Lee and
Crystal Edwards are our mission area parents. They really take care of us and help us out. It's super nice having people like them! I love them already!

What else....yesterday we taught one of the ward's youth group's how to teach the Plan Of Salvation. What was really cool was one of the youth brought their non-member friend and afterwards she asked for one of the pamphlets so hopefully we'll be able to teach her soon! Also, yesterday, I went and saw Elder Capt. It was so chill seeing him again! I missed that guy! Poor dude messed himself up doing a trick snowboarding yesterday. He thinks he broke his foot. Made me miss shredding the edge with Jason, Jeff, and Aric and doing cartwheel
after cartwheel. Apparently he went with Elder Edgington and Elder Musso! Remember them?! Yeah it was cool.

Anyways...I think that about sums up the fun of this week! I'm hopefully going to snag some piano sheet music this week. Elder Greenacre is really good at guitar so we're hoping we can pull something together!

Anyways...until next week! Love you all!

-Elder Ahrens