Friday, March 29, 2013

 His Companion, Elder Snyder.  He is 6'3".

 His District.

 The Elders of his district at the temple on P-Day

Elder Fenner and Sister Short from our ward.  They entered the MTC on the same day.

2nd week in the field

So my first week was pretty great. I got cussed out because we knocked this door and the lady goes who is it and we said the missionaries and then she went off and yeah. So we told her to have a nice day and walked away haha. Right now I’m in the sage north area which is in the sage ward which is in the los lunas stake haha that probably means nothing to you, but you can talk to Grandma Shields about it haha.   My Comp is Elder Ferguson, he is really cool and has taught me a lot.  He kindof reminds me of Eric. He is from Washington, the state. The people here for the most part are really nice. There is this guy that is catholic and he just likes for us to come help him out and talk to him even though he isn't interested in the church.   He is way cool he lets us do our laundry over there so it’s free haha.   A lot of people haven't been answering their doors or phones and when they do there usually not interested, but a lot of them tell us they really respect us and think it is really cool that we would do something like this. There is some really cool murals all over there is also a few places that they filmed transformers and I’m going to take pictures of them. Tell Morgan sorry I didn’t send anything for here b day I’m just barely starting to get in the groove of things so soon I will be able to remember things like that haha. As of right now we have 2 investigators and they both have baptismal dates which is so awesome. We are going to visit a few people we met when tracting and I’ve got my fingers crossed. There is this guy that we have been trying to get a hold of that won silver in kickboxing in the Olympics the notes say he is way nice and way cool but he is hard to get a hold off and that is exactly our problem haha. When is the General Authority supposed to go to your Stake?  Because on April 21 we are having an apostle come to our ward I’m really excited some of the missionaries think that the stake president is going to go to the 70. Thanks for the talk it was great. In the MTC  I heard the best talk ever and i would strongly recommend looking it up its call the Character of Christ by David A Bednar. It is life changing. For the most part everything is going great I have taught a little and it has gone great. I’m really excited though because we got a golden referral he went to the slc temple grounds and felt the spirit it is so cool I hope we can get a hold of him. Funny story there is this Hermana in my district that came out the same day as me and she is from west valley too and knows Paola. But she went to Ames so i didn’t know her before. There is this elder in my district that is having some health problems so we went on splits for p day and I was with a Spanish elder and it was cool he taught me how to pray in Spanish. My comp knows a little bit of Navajo he can bare his testimony in Navajo its cool. he said in our mission there is like only one real reservation. All the other ones are in the Farmington mission. Which I’m sad and kinda happy about I’ve heard some scary stories about some Indians haha oh well. i love you all and hope you have a great week and easter. :)

Then he sent a letter a little while later......
So I’m going to answer some questions you had. we have a car. yes the members feed us most of the time. Cody would love it here they advertise everything with green chilies on it. Instead of selling the 3 meat pizza at little ceasars they sell a peperoni and green chili and also all the hamburgers they ask if you want green chili on it is so weird haha our freezer is full of frozen green chili haha. Easter and conference my comp said usually we will get invited over by members so i guess that’s what will happen haha.   Yes I have got the packages and letters and no i dont need anything else.
Love,
Elder Fenner

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

First Day in Albuquerque



My flight was great.  So Monday is my p day but the libraries are closed on Mondays so we email on Tuesday. Everything is going great I just barely met my new comp, but he seems great. I am in the middle of the city of Albuquerque. Yesterday was my first day and they already had us start tracting and I placed my first Book of Mormon. I also got cussed out. I forgot to bring my camera to the library so I won’t send pictures this email. Thank you for the package it was great. New Mexico is so cool there is like art everywhere you have tons of murals on the walls. We have 2 investigators and I will meet one tonight and one tomorrow.  So how is everything going out there? I want to know everything. I also forgot my notebook so I can’t tell you the scripture about the mtc food but I will try to remember next time. My ward has 1000 members and only about 250 show up so a lot of what we will be doing is reactivation. The weather is nice it’s kinda a grey day and my comp said that is really unusual for New Mexico usually they are always sunny. I would like to know more about what is going on there. Anyway I want you guys to know that I know that Our Heavenly Father is always there for us and in our hardest times he sends his angels to bare us up and keep us going. I know that Jesus loves us so much and really wants the best for us We just have to give back our part and give ourselves to God. love you all so much.
Love
Elder Fenner

Also by the way I have plenty of time to email and they just made an announcement we are allowed to email everyone friends, family, other missionaries, everyone.  So here is Elder Fenner’s email address Ryan.Fenner@myldsmail.net

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

First and only Email from MTC

Hey Family,
So today is my p-day so i will be in New Mexico my next one.  i'm thinking it will be a monday but idk if i will have time to write you. Everything is going great but I want to hear about you guys how is everything? I didn't mean to be rude about the packages we just are never at our residences and cant take the food to our class room and also are usually not hungry when we are there.  In case you didn't get my last letter, I leave on march 18th on flight 4462 and I would prefer  if one of jasons co-workers didn't  bring a phone to me. I just want to use the pay phone I can't really remember what I have told you so i might repeat myself. so your joke for this letter is something one of the elders said. Elder cook (from backwoods Kentucky) was reading with a light on at night and when he was done asked if anyone else needed the light.  Elder Holist, going to New Mexico said Elder cook the only light i need is the Light of Christ. haha. BTW Elder Snyder my comp. is going to New Mexico. so Elder Holist is the best he is always making joke but also loves analogies or how ever you spell it and he told us this story that i love and would like to tell you. He said One day there was this farmer who had a donkey and decided that he was too good for his donkey and wanted a nice strong horse. so he went out in his field and dug a hole lowered his donkey in and then started to throw the dirt back in he wasn't paying any attention to the donkey and every time he through dirt in the donkey would shake it off and step up. by the time the farmer was finished he turned around and saw the donkey standing there so every time life throws some dirt on you just shake it off and step up. Teaching is alot different then you think. Actually we aren't even on missions to teach we are there to help others come on to Christ and getter a better relationship with God. how much we work and have to do we are pretty much doing something 16 hours then sleep for 8 hours. so what a zone leader is, is you have a district which there is 11 missionaries in our and then you have a district leader who is over us then you take a bunch of districts and put them into a branch or other words a zone making a zone leader. my time is pretty much up so i got to go and also the branch president  was just saying that they had an elder that got really sick and had to go to the hospital and the zone leaders never told them so they thought they lost a missionary.
 Love Elder Fenner

First handwritten letter from the MTC 3-8-2013

Dear Family,
   I love it so much here.  I have learned so much already and have felt the spirit so strong.   I love my companion.  He is so awesome.  It's kinda funny because he is 6'3" so he is a foot taller than me,  BTW his name is Elder Snyder and he is from Vista, California.  We just got called as zone leaders so we are kinda nervous about that, but it will be awesome.  We are supposed to get a ton of missionaries on Wed so we have to learn quick.  It is crazy how much you can learn in 2 days, but I love it.  Every hour I'm here I feel I have learned so much.  My district is awesome we have 5 sisters and 6 elders.  3 of us are going to New Mexico, 3 are going to Las Vegas and the sisters are all going to visitors centers.  The #1 thing that I have learned is all the missionaries are for is to help others recognize what God wants to tell them.  I love you all and miss you.