Email from Elder Lofthouse 8/23/16 "Our Trio's Down to Two."

This week was a really busy week, but it was also really good. We
had a lot of fun stuff happen!
 
Tuesday was good. We had supper with the Andersons, and then we met with Brother Kryton, the Elders quorum president.  He's a super cool guy.  We discussed some people to go stop by and who we could go visit. After that we exchanged with Beaumont. I went to Beaumont with Elder Pouliot and Elder McNamara. They're also in a tripan, so it worked out!

Wednesday was super fun. We went and helped a member weed her garden. It was a lot of fun. We went and had lunch, and then we   Went and tried by some potentials and less actives. We had supper with the Sorensons. It was a lot of fun. Then we got to visit another family. I don't remember their names, but they were super cool. Then we went and exchanged back!

Thursday was pretty fun. We had a lesson with Brother Blanchet. He's a member from Montreal!  He's a super funny guy. He calls us the "three musketeers", but with a French accent so it sounds like "tree musketeers". It's awesome. After lunch we went and helped Sister Burr, the Relief Society President, paint a fence. Sadly, it started to rain while we were painting, but we had a coordination meeting with her as well. we have our work cut out for us!  After that we had a super fun lesson with Curtis. It was a really good lesson. After that we had supper at the Becks. They're awesome. We then had coordination with Bro Beck and Bro Harris. It was really good. This Ward is awesome.

Friday was a really interesting. We had Zone Conference in the morning. It was really good. We had a really good training. After Zone Conference, we went to the library to teach Rahmadahn. It was a really interesting lesson. We taught him a little, and he taught us a little about Islam. It was a really, really weird. We're going to teach him again next week. We'll see how it goes. After that we had supper with the Moores. They're also an awesome family. This Ward just gets better and better. Nothing else really happened that day.
 

Dropping Elder Thomas off at the mission home.

Saturday was really weird.  It was really good though.  In the morning we went and had breakfast at Denny's. It was super good, and then we went and did some stuff to prep for tomorrow. We had lunch and then we went and had a Passover lesson with the Spanish Elders, but it fell through. They are going to come to church tomorrow, though!  We went and had supper with the Harris family, and then we had a lesson with Gurpal, a recent convert. She's super cool. It was a really good day, overall.

Sunday was really weird. We got a call in the morning from a counsellor in the Elders quorum asking if we would teach. So we did.... The lesson was on eternal marriage!  Very fitting for Elder Thomas's last day in the mission. Haha. It was really good. After church we stopped by a few people, and then we went to the mission home. We had supper, and I got to see Elders Powell, Campbell, and Kamea again!  It was a lot of fun. Then we visited Sister Saunders again, and then Elder Wood and I drove back to Millwoods.  The tri-pan was fun, but it's good to be back to a regular companionship.

Monday was interesting. We did our studies and stuff, and then we went to the MCC Thrift Store. We got to help sort, price, tag, and put clothes out on the floor. It was actually quite enjoyable. After that we went and gave another Elder a blessing. He's not been feeling well the passed few days. Then we went to the library and had another lesson with Ramahdan.  Again, it was really interesting.... It's weird teaching people who are also trying to teach you. He does have some good questions, though. We had supper, and then we went to get Elder Wood a coat. That's kind of important here in Canada. :)

This week was just an all around weird week. From exchanges in Beaumont, to teaching Ramahdan (if you couldn't tell, I don't know how to spell his name), to dropping off Elder Thomas at the mission home. Things in life just happen. Life moves on whether we want it to or not. The trick is to enjoy the journey. Enjoy the little things, and take a few moments to enjoy what matters most. It's easy to get caught up in the day to day activities we have to do, but if we take a look around once in a while, it can be the best thing ever.

Have a wonderful week
Elder Rusty Lofthouse

You know you'll never be the same
If you take your chance and make yourself a name
I know you're not already done
Let's stay on the run
-Chunk, No Captain Chunk!

Email from Elder Lofthouse 8/16/16 Craziness

This week was super fun. We saw a lot of miracles, and it was awesome!
   
Tuesday evening we had supper with the Baldersons. They're a super cool family, and we had some really good curry. Sadly, our appointment canceled on us in the evening, so we didn't get to see her.

Wednesday was super cool. We had a lesson with Shawn. He's on date for August 27!  We had a really good lesson on the Plan of Salvation.  I love the Plan of Salvation. It puts everything into perspective, and helps us know why we're here. After that we had wings at Boston Pizza for lunch..... :)  after lunch and some administrative stuff, we had a lesson with Curtis. He's another investigator. The Tagalog Elders had been teaching him, b cause he didn't want to meet with Sisters, but now we're here, so he's ok to meet with us. We had supper with Brother Carter. He's super awesome. The rest of the evening was uneventful.
   
Thursday was pretty fun. District meeting went way better than I thought it would. So that was good. In the late afternoon we went to Sister Muñoz' place and helped her make supper.  We made papusas!  I love em!  We helped her make those, ate them, and then we went to Ward coordination. It was good, and we have a lot of people that we're trying to work with. It was a good meeting. After that we exchanged with Leduc. Elder Baldridge came here with Elder Wood and I.

Friday was super cool. We did our studies in the morning, and then we helped the Ellerslie Elders with a move. We did that for a little bit, and then we stopped by a bunch of Less active members. We met Ray, who talked to us for about 45 minutes on the porch.  He's a pretty cool guy. Then we met the Hughes family. They have got to be one of the coolest families I have ever met. They invited us in, and we had supper with them. It was awesome. They're a super funny family. After that we had a lesson fall through, again. It was still an awesome day.

Saturday we went to a baptism!  The Lakewood Sisters had a baptism. We invited Shawn, and he came!  He loved it. The rest of the day was weekly planning, and then we went to another baptism. I got to see Elder Kamea again!!  It was just a super fun day.

Sunday we had Ward council in the morning. It was really good. The Ward here is just solid. It's going to be a lot of fun serving here. After church we had supper with the Becks. It was really good.

We did have a lesson lined up for that evening, but again, it fell through. Sad, eh?

Monday was a lot of fun. We went to the MCC thrift shop and volunteered for a couple hours. It was a lot of fun. Then we went to Sister Ackroyd's place for supper. It was really good. This area is a lot of fun.
   
 I've learned this week that if we move forward, and don't look back, life is amazing. God is always on our side when we are trying to do what's right. No matter what, always choose the right.

Loves
Elder Rusty Lofthouse

Each man should frame life so that, at some future hour, fact and his
dreaming meet.
-Victor Hugo

Email from Elder Lofthouse 8/9/16 Whitewashing!

This week has been absolutely nuts. Here we go.
   
Tuesday we did our normal stuff, and then I got to visit a bunch of people. It was a lot of fun. I'm going to miss Clarkdale, but it's gonna be fun.

Wednesday I drove to the trainers meeting, and we got to meet our companions!  Turns out I'm whitewash training in a tripan. Elder Thomas goes home in a couple weeks, and Elder Wood is brand new. I love it. We are in the Hillview Ward. It's in the city, on east south side. So yes, after 20 months I'm finally in Edmonton.  Haha.

Thursday through Saturday was going through the area book and figuring out who we're going to work with and all that stuff. We got to visit quite a few members, and they're all awesome. Nothing super crazy happened.
     
Sunday was awesome. We have 1 pm church.  So we went to church, and one of our investigators came!  He's super cool, and we set up an appointment for Wednesday. After church we had a potluck, and we got to visit with a lot of people. The Ward here is super cool. After church we had a lesson with some less active members. It was pretty cool. Then we had a lesson with our investigator, Fong. She's awesome. It was awesome.

Monday we did some service at the Good Samaritan. We took old people on a walk around a little lake. While there, I almost got attacked by a goose. Geese are so rude!  Haha. That evening we had lesson with Lori and Avery. They're a super cool family. Both of them accepted a baptismal invitation!  It's gonna be an awesome area!

The Lord is really in charge of this church. I know it. The Prophet is His spokesman, and we would do well to listen to, and follow, the counsel we receive. Sorry for the super short email, but we're rushed!

Loves!
Elder Rusty Lofthouse

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.
-Eleanor Roosevelt

Email from Elder Lofthouse 8/2/16 Wreck of a Week

The district. Ha!

This week was by far and away the craziest week of all time.....It was so intense.  Well, the last few days were. Transfer calls happened, so you'll see what happens!
   
Tuesday was fun. We played sports with President and his son. It was super fun. We went to Dream Catcher for a volunteer BBQ.  It was awesome. they have a little goat named Joey that rammed me in the elbow while I was eating cake..... I spilled it on my shirt.  Haha. We were able to see John this week!  It was awesome. He's such a cool guy. It was a really good evening.

Wednesday was fun. It was the first time in a month that we didn't have exchanges. Elder Kamea's knee was in pretty rough shape, so we didn't really do much walking. It was an interesting day.  We didn't have much going for us that day....  It was pretty rough. Elder Kamea mostly rested his knee.

Thursday we had District Meeting. It was a lot of fun. Elder Kamea cooked for the whole district. It was really good. After that we went and saw Doctor Orth for Elder Kamea's knee. Get this; he had an infection in his knee from being on his knees too much. Elder Kamea prayed so much, he broke one of his knees!  Haha. He's not allowed to kneel for prayers for the next little while. After that we went and stopped by a lot of people. We had supper with the Fixsens, and then we went and visited Brother Kohn. It was really good. It was an excellent day.
   

Here's the car. She served us well since 2013

Friday we did a mini exchange. Elder Kamea and Elder Powell went to the pharmacy to fill Elder Kamea's prescription, and Elder Campbell and I went to Dream catcher to do chores. It was really fun. There was another little goat named Wanda that was being a little brat. Little goats are awesome. Haha. After that we had lunch and then we went through the area book to find people to stop by. We went out to George's to grab a pie that his wife made for us, and it was on our way back to Sherwood Park that things got intense. We were driving through a construction zone and somebody ran a stop sign and t boned us!  It was insane. It was a miracle that no one was injured.  I'll send pictures of the car.... Needless to say. We missed supper and our appointment in the evening.... It was sad.
   
Saturday was fun. We woke up a little sore from the wreck, but for the most part we were good. We did our weekly planning, and then we went to volunteer for heritage days. We were taking donations for the Edmonton food bank from people getting on and off the buses.  A nasty storm rolled in, and the whole park got evacuated. We made sure that all the missionaries either got rides or walked with us. Four companionships, including us, walked a couple Klicks in the rain back to the institute building. It was exciting!  Haha.
   
Sunday was the only normal(ish) day of the weekend. We went to church, and it was awesome as usual. After church we set up some appointments for later in the week, and then we had supper with the Tagalog Elders. We had noodles, corned beef, and burgers. It was really interesting. After supper we went and visited Vivian for her birthday!  It was a lot of fun. It was a really good day.
   
Monday was when the whole week came to a sudden plot twist. So transfer calls were happening..... We got a call. I though Elder Kamea and I were going to stay together for one more transfer, but that
wasn't meant to be. I'm going to be training a new missionary in a new area. That's right, I'm whitewash training!  It's going to be sweet! I don't know where, but it'll be fun. We went and visited a bunch of people in the afternoon, went to Swiss Chalet for supper, and then visited more people!  It was awesome.
   
Miracles really do happen. This week we were protected by God in that wreck. Had things been just a little different, if we had been hit a little harder, or had we been going faster, the car could've rolled and we could have been hurt. I know that God hears our prayers and cares about us. It was a pretty intense experience, but God kept us safe through it!


Ofa ma'oni
Elder Rusty Lofthouse

There is a power in belief
-Ice Nine Kills