How exciting to hear that Austin my bro was playing in a varsity game! I'm so proud of you buddy. Just don't break anything. hahahaha (knock on wood) Keep it up stud you will do great things; I know you will! That stinks that BYU lost. They had some AMAZING wins with the Hail Marys and with that new quarter back who's only a freshman, that's crazy!?!?!? Dad, Elder Richens is in love with BYU probably just as much as you. He is always up to date with how they're doing. Also, did you guys ever get a chance to watch those 12 steps to change!?!?!?!?! You'll have to let me know what you think and to tell me which ones are your favorite and why. A few of my favorites are 1. Honesty 4. Truth 8. Seeking forgiveness 12. Service. These are the ones I like the most but you have to watch all of them. They are so good!
Anyways, lets get started shall we!?! This week we did quite a lot of traveling. We went all the way to Pitt again for MLC and I got some great insight on how to teach better by using Preach My Gospel and how feasting off of it can help me be a preach my gospel-centered teacher, missionary, example, whatever it may be. I want to be able to teach as the Savior taught. I love the way President Johnson presents. Being a former CFO of REI, he gets serious and also provides humor. He is a very good public speaker and he is a natural! However the meeting turned south real quick when we had a special speaker. It was a man who was head of the missionary department of safety and he installed this box in our car that calculates our speed, how fast we accelerate, how hard we brake, how hard we turn. It is GPS smart so it knows the exact speed limit in that area!!!!!!!😭😭😭😭😭 Everyone hates it. I don't speed or anything but when it's a 25 and people are going 40 you hold up a BUNCH of people and people don't like you very much... So that box is awful. I hate it. I call it the Black Box. So we got down to the meeting in about 4 hrs. And to get back home we had to stay in Warren because it was too late. So far no one is enjoying the black box. Then we head to Bishop Dupont's on Thursday. We go to cut wood and mom your gonna hate this story but before I tell it I'm FINE!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyways, so we are cutting wood and one of the logs we cut rolls towards Bishop's new truck so I run to stop it and as I did so, my right ankle got twisted and I heard a pop. I thought immediately I did something bad and I stopped and checked on it. It hurt a little but long story short, nothing happened!!!!!!!! There was a pop but that's it. I walk and run on it with absolutely 110% NO PAIN! So everything's okay. I'll tell you what though, I've never prayed so earnestly before. I was praying non stop!!!!!!! Hahahaha
Also remember the story of the guy, "K" who answered the door with no pants? Well I don't know if I've kept you up with him or not but he's a member. He has Type 2 diabetes and both of his feet are cut off halfway and he has to use a wheelchair to get around. He doesn't own a car nor can he drive. He also has other issues. He really wants the Melchezidek priesthood. We really developed a relationship with him. He is now attending church- not only that but participating in all 3 hours!!!!!!! How awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anyways, after church it was just me and him talking and he says to me " I just wanted to let you know that you and Elder Tengberg have changed my life." He said I moved down here in April and I had no friends and all I did was smoke and drink and my life was awful. Everything that could go wrong went wrong. He said, "Then you two showed up and even though I have things to work on, I really have a desire to stop (doings harmful things) and be better. I'm going to church which I haven't done in months and I have friends that care for me and they are willing to take me to church each Sunday." He said he really appreciated us. I said to myself that is the reason I'm out here- not to get baptisms or be the best but to change someone's life. Not to plant seeds but to change lives! That's when the Spirit hit me hard assuring me that I'm supposed to be
here. Even though some days may seem long, I know that if I think of others instead of myself it will all be more than worth it in the end.
here. Even though some days may seem long, I know that if I think of others instead of myself it will all be more than worth it in the end.
Also, another experience was at the "C's"- the lady who is afraid of water is getting baptized Saturday at 10:00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So Elder Tengberg started calling me Boo Boo (a short way to say my original nickname, Baboon, which came from Bishop. So a few people have caught on and call me Boo Boo now too. I don't mind it. If anything it makes me smile so I like it!!!!!! Anyways, we knock on the "C's" door and Bro. C opens it quickly and says "Look, it's Boo Boo and Tee Tee." We started laughing. Now Elder Tengberg has a nickname too!!!!!!! The funniest though was when Brother C got called in to work for a few min. We were sitting outside with Sister C and when we saw Brother C drive up, I waved and shouted "Brother C" and he shouts back "Boo Boo!!!!!!!!!!!" Hahahahaha It was the funniest thing!!! We couldn't stop laughing. It was hysterical!!!!!!!!!! We had another cool experience with Brother C. His back story is just amazing. He was a member when he was younger and then he moved to L.A. And he was a big Harley guy so he got into drinking and smoking and being Mr.Tough Guy. But, "W," has been Brother C's home teacher for the past 35 years!!!!!!!!!! Now that's how home teaching should be done!!!!! "W" asked if Brother C wanted to take the discussions again. He said yes and that year was baptized. He is now the most fun-loving gentle, old man you could ever meet!!!!!!!!!! Well, told us that Wade has been reading The Infinite Aonement. "W" told Brother C that as he read the book, the more he thought of him. Brother C was so touched; he loves "W' so much. Brother C said that he was overwhelmed with the spirit. As we were talking with Brother C about the atonement, I said to him "you know the hardest part in the repentance process isn't to be forgiven but to forgive ourselves." With tears in his eyes he said "yea, it really is." The spirit was so strong. Brother C is so amazing!!!!!! He says to Elder T and me, "If you ever need a place to crash or a place to rest your head for the night when you get home off the mission, don't you dare hesitate to call us. You come over immediately." I was so touched. That's when I learned that the atonement doesn't just fix our problems but it literally changes us to become more like the Savior. And mom I'm just letting you know that when I get home from my mission, if we are going to stop by and see anyone it's going to be Brother and Sister C!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I need to see them when I get home from my mission!!!!!!!!! Well I love you all sooooo much. Have a great week bye!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
Boo Boo
Boo Boo
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