WEEK #58 - A Goodbye, And A New Beginning

Hello everyone! I got transferred! So now I'm serving in the Black Canyon ward in Montrose!

Monday: August 24th

We had a nice District lunch and I said goodbye to everyone in the District. About half of us are getting transferred. It was crazy seeing the changes across the mission, Elder Samojla will be training a new FB Specialist Zone Leader which will be fun for him! I know the Lord put changes in our lives to simply help us grow and become more like Him. Onward, ever onward :)

The long time Quarantine box!

Tuesday: August 25th

We had a great all mission meeting discussing how we can express our emotions. I didn't know how much I sucked at that, haha! Always room for improvement, right? ;)

Wednesday: August 26th

My last day in Lands End! I think I've spent over 210 days here... that's a lot! We had last lessons with Nick and Carol. I'm sad to not teach them anymore, but I'm happy seeing how much they've progressed. I packed so much.... I didn't realize how much stuff I had, haha! Cramming things in tend to work best for me... oh well :)

Thursday: August 27th

Transfer day!!! :0 Holy cow. I never thought this day would come. It was tough saying goodbye to Elder Samojla, we cried a bit and we hugged as I packed my bags and left for Montrose. So my new companion is named Elder Malm! He's from Utah and is very awesome. We get along well and are excited to work hard with each other this next transfer. 

Bye Elder Samojla!! :(

Friday: August 28th

Me and Elder Malm went on a run today... I was  so sore again, but it felt good! We had district council with the Montrose 1 district. We have the Spanish Elders/Hermanas, plus the Black Canyon 2 Sisters with us. It's going to be a fun district! I never thought that so many areas would be split like this in the mission... oh well, such is life :)

Elder Malm!

When the cougar strikes... 

Saturday: August 29th

Today was a lot of meetings, but it was funny to see how Elder Malm reacted when he was brought into the Facebook world. Since we're over the Montrose Facebook Initiative it's fun to have our own little area page to ourselves. We're both excited to help this Zone and area page see success! Also, my past companion Elder Samojla is technically my boss now so I think that's awesome haha! ;)

The new apartment :)

Sunday: August 30th

Happy birthday Kyler!!! He's such an oldie now haha :) Today I got to attend the Black Canyon ward sacrament for the first time! It was so cool meeting different people. There were only 35 people there but I'm glad to start things new. Later on me and Elder Malm got to teach Sherril! She's this really nice lady that has been taught for a while by other missionaries. We had an.... interesting discussion to say the least but it was definitely a good experience! Elder Malm is a great companion, we teach well together so I'm excited for the rest of this transfer :)

Elder Malm the stud, what a great companion!

Keep being AWEsome, and keep your heads up. Be safe and enjoy the week!

Love,

Elder LaRose 

keldon.larose@missionary.org

NEW ADDRESS:

1107 South Cascade Apt. 16

Montrose, Colorado 81401

AREA #3 - BLACK CANYON - 8/27/2020 - 10/8/2020

 COMPANIONS:

MEMBERS:

MORE LAND'S END PIC

WEEK #57 - The Mount Garfield Rescue

This was one of the craziest, most intense weeks of my life...  

Monday: August 17th

CRAZY STORY:

The Mt Garfield Rescue: So to make this concise, basically we saved an Elder from dying today... ya, it was that intense. So one of our Districts decided to hike Mount Garfield which is this INSANELY difficult hike. And I got a call from that District leader who told me that they had ALL run out of water and one Elder was going into severe heat exhaustion! Me and Elder Samojla rushed out of our apartment with a bunch of extra water bottles. We were so fast that I didn't even have time to change out of my white shirt and tie! So we grabbed some more Elders and sped up to the bottom of the Mountain. Me and Elder Samojla sprinted up the steep trail carrying only a few water bottles, but we needed to get to them. Long story short, we found Elder Emery who was suffering from severe heat exhaustion and got him some water. We even used my tie drenched in water to pat his head down. For the next 3 hours we shade hopped down the mountain as I carried Elder Emery with me. At one point he fell unconscious and his eyes rolled into the back of his head... that was the scariest moment of my life. Luckily I slapped him back, and we got him down the rest of the mountain to where we had fresh water waiting. It was the most intense life or death thing I've ever experienced. Here are we, running up an ash covered mountain as half of Colorado is being burned by fires, with this COVID thing still here and everything with it... BUT I still know that Heavenly Father was in every detail!

The Rescue team!

Mt. Garfield Trail

RIP my shoes

Tuesday: August 18th

We got to makeup pday today, and had a very nice dinner with the Olsons. They are an amazing family. It was such a polar opposite day from yesterday!

Now this is how you play chess :)

Wednesday: August 19th

We had exchanges with our district leader! Too bad it was virtual again. We had an in person lesson outside Ashli's house. There was ASH EVERYWHERE! It was literally snowing ash on us, my clothes smelled of smoke and you could see ash all over it. We couldn't even see Mt. Garfield from our apartment AT ALL, whereas beforehand we could... there is so much smoke I look in every direction and it's just a well of smoke surrounding the city of Grand Junction. I never thought this would happen on my mission. 

Thursday: August 20th

AWEsome 20th today! :) Goofs. We had exchanges with our 2nd district leader! It was great to learn from them. Today we got to make evacuation plans for our Zone in case the fires got to close. Last I heard they were only 12 miles away from us! Who would've ever thought a whole ZONE may potentially get evacuated from their apartments because of some crazy wildfires.... dang gina!

The sneak selfie... :)

Friday: August 21st

We had exchanges with our 3rd district leader! It was pretty good despite it was all over phone call, haha. Sometimes I wonder how signal works. I learned lot of good things from them, Elder Oakes is going home in a week. I love how as we focus on becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ it doesn't matter where we are in life, because we WILL receive the guidance we need. I pray that we may continue along the path of Discipleship. A cool though from Elder Bunker (my AWEsome Monticello friend) was that the word "path" indicates that someone has already used it. Someone has walked it before. And that's our Savior. He's walked the path of discipleship, and so we can trust Him as we follow Him!

CRAZY SIDE STORY:

Because of all the wicked crazy fires in Colorado they shutdown highway I-70 and it's so crazy!!! No one can use the highway because of the wildfires... please keep or start praying <3

Fires and smoke!

Saturday: August 22nd

Today was fun! We got to do some more service, we pulled some weeds... as much as I didn't like that job as a kid I now enjoy it. Very stress relieving to watch a yard look cleaner... haha! We finally finally got to talk with Nick. He's been struggling, but we're getting him back to coming to church and will help him continue to live the Gospel!

Sunset clouded by smoke!

Sunday: August 23rd

Today I got a call from President Rees.... he told me to sell my house here in Lands End because I've been here for so long, haha! He then told me I was getting TRANSFERRED to still be a ZL and Facebook Specialist in Black Canyon, which is in Montrose!! This is literally the 2ND time I've ever been transferred and I've been out on my mission for 13months... wow. My third area. Exciting! Today we also had Carol come to in person church for the first time! It was so cool seeing how supportive and loving everyone was towards her as she learns more about the restored Gospel! :)

What a CRAZY week. Such is life, amirite? ;)

Love you all, 

Elder LaRose

WEEK #56 - Insta–WHAT?!

Hello there!

Tuesday: August 11th

Today was pday! Such a goofy day to have it though... :) We helped some Elders move out of their hotel (finally!) and into an apartment. So weird they were in a hotel for a month! We had dinner with Danyel, who got baptized on May 30th. It's so nice to just be outside with other people, I'm getting too used to being claustrophobic in my apartment haha. 

Christ is the Center!

Wednesday: August 12th

We woke up today and could see the wildfire smoke EVERYwhere! There was the smell of smoke in the streets and in our house. A wildfire started north of the ridge in Grand Junction and it's destroyed 125 square miles of acres so far. Crazy times! Sometimes in the craziness of life you start to wonder what your true purpose is. Why am I really here? Where should I be going? Those are tough questions, but life is a spiritual journey as you let God become the center of your life. We must come to realize that He knows our true purpose, and He loves us SO much that He'll guide us to discover that true purpose on our own... we just need to accept that guidance humbly! Also today is me and Elder Samojla's 5 month mark of being companions together!! Us goofs :)

All the smoke from the wildfires!! Smells like smoke every day outside...

Thursday: August 13th

Today was a great day, we were on virtual exchanges (again) with the Assisstants. They are great missionaries that I look up to as an example to me. We had some good laughs about how long I've been in this area. Almost 7 months! I think every single missionary in this mission has changed companions except for me and Elder Samojla... :) 

Friday: August 14th

Our mission President shocked the whole mission when he announced that we were getting Instagram to use in our proselytizing efforts... what?! Instagram?! We had no clue this was coming! I'm sure the Lord knows best, and social media can be a great tool to spread the light of the Gospel to those who desperately need it. I'm still shook, me and Elder Samojla will no longer be called "Facebook Specialists" anymore that's for sure! 

Smoke

Saturday: August 15th

Today we have several meetings with President Rees over the course of the day trying to figure out the new Facebook Organization. We had a great Council with the other team members and the work is moving forward! One thing I do know is that the Lord can take any negative emotion we're experiencing, and in a heartbeat can change it to become a positive one! We must humbly submit our will to His, and we can see mighty changes in every heartbeat. :)

More smoke

Sunday: August 16th

As of one year ago, I took my first step inside Naturita! Aww, good times :) Today we got to talk with Carol over the phone again, it's so weird teaching over phone calls but it works! I hopefully everyone can feel free to email me any questions or concerns you have. I can promise you at least the Savior understands what you're going through right now! Turn to Him, and find your peace. 

Enjoy the week, stay safe, work hard!

Love 

Elder LaRose 

 2946 D Rd. Apt #D-3

Mailbox - #15

Grand Junction, CO 81504

keldon.larose@missionary.org

WEEK #55 - Neighborhood Kids Are Back...

 "The comfort zone is where potential dies." Just a cool quote I found this week!

Monday: August 3rd

AWEsome day! ;) It was so good talking to everyone, I'm so glad to have the support of my family! Today me and Elder Samojla got to meet with a bunch of other companionships and walk them through Facebook. We taught them how to be effective at finding people and making meaningful connections with others! I never thought my mission would ever turn into a "Facebook mission" but I sure love sharing my love for the Savior – and His love for YOU – with everyone no matter what means I communicate that by :)

There's a huge wildfire that's been going on for 12 days now across Colorado... please send prayers!

Tuesday: August 4th

CRAZY STORY:

Okay, do any of you remember the neighborhood kids I always mention? No, not the nice ones that sit outside our door and beg for food... the mean ones across the street that spray me with water guns and hit Elder Samojla with a scooter! Well..... they're back. So me and Elder Samojla were just casually walking around in the neighborhood until we turn the corner and see the mean kids all playing in the street. Fear and terror struck our hearts... we decided to press onward, hoping to go unnoticed on the sidewalks. Too late! They saw us. One of them ran up to me and asked me, "Can I hit you with my bat?" And I said, "No." THEN HE HIT ME with his BAT! Oh my goodness... it was only plastic so it was painless but come on kid! Elder Samojla, my stud companion, snatched the bat out of this 6 years olds hand and threw it in the street and we booked it out of there. Fun times though! ;)

Wednesday: August 5th

Got to train the whole MLC again and now they should all be Facebook experts... hopefully. We'll probably have to give them more trainings but, oh well! Such is life! Ammmmirite?! ;) Had a good lesson with my cousin Megan, she's a stud! Today I also got to have my interview with President, so nice to see him in person. 

All we wear is masks :)

Thursday: August 6th

We went to the E 1/2 district council which was fun. Me and Elder Samojla had a lesson with Carol at the church again. We went so ham we were like Alma and Amulek in Alma 12:1 it was so awesome, haha! I love teaching with Elder Samojla, we've gotten quite used to each other over the past 5 months... :)

Friday: August 7th

Me and Elder Samojla got sketched out by this lady we were talking to so we set an alarm for 7 minutes. Once the alarm goes off our plan was to fake a phone call and DIP out of there! We ended up agreeing to come back tomorrow to do service for her, haha! The Lord works in mysterious ways. :)

Saturday: August 8th

We did a bunch of service! Shoveled rocks and pulled weeds. It was great to serve others, the only bad thing was doing it in 100° Junction heat!! Holy cow... it was a good day. I know that the Savior's love for you is greater than anything, please know that you are never alone!

Service time :)

Sunday: August 9th

Today was great to be in sacrament meeting again. Always fun to see most of the ward there! Everyone's surprised that I haven't been transferred yet, I mean I've only been here since January... :)

Monday: August 10th

Today we did some more service! Whoop, whoop. Shoveling some good old rocks. After an hour me and Elder Samojla decided to bail so we could get ready for IN PERSON Zone Conference! Too bad in changed my pday to Tuesday... oh well! We had great trainings and the Spirit was pretty evident. President and Sister Rees are amazing at doing that. The whole Zone was empowered and excited! It was so weird having everyone 6 feet apart and wearing masks... definitely an unforgettable experience. 

How Zone Conference looks!

Hope you all have an amazing week! Work hard, study hard!

Love,

Elder LaRose 

2946 D Rd. Apt #D-3

Mailbox - #15

Grand Junction, CO 81504

keldon.larose@missionary.org

WEEK #54 - Goofin Along the Avon Road

 Another week chugging along!

Monday: July 27th

Today was amazing, I love being so unified! Pday was great to go to Walmart and play chess. Elder Samojla finally beat me in chess, I think he has won about every 3 in 300 games so he was pretty stoked to beat me, haha! ;) We were able to teach Carol in person again. She definitely loves Jesus I'll tell you that :)

Tuesday: July 28th

Lots of good facebook work! We got ads running on every single page which was fun until our card got declined for the third time... we called this lady and she said she was 92 years old!!! Holy cow! That's still insane. 

Wednesday: July 29th

Today was MLC! We drove 2.5 hours to Avon, Colorado and met in person. It was great seeing everyone, despite the masks. Me and Elder Samojla gave a good training about District leaders and how to best help them. We got a lot done! We drove with Elder Wade and Elder Wilson, the former being my past companion for about 2 weeks. It was so fun, lots of crazy memories. All in all, you end up just becoming best friends with most of your companions. :)

The Avon trip... 

Elder Wade and Elder Wilson!

Thursday: July 30th

Had some good meetings, talked with Nick for a bit he's doing well. Met with the Stake President and discussed facebook while he zoom called in from a lazy boy chair... nice! :)

Friday: July 31st

We met as a Zone over zoom and training them on Facebook and member engagement. It was fun seeing everyone online, despite the technical side of things. But, happy anniversary mom and dad!!! I'm so happy for them, 27 years and still going strong! Love you mom and dad! <3

AWEsome sunset:)

Saturday: August 1st

Wait.... it's August?! Woah... July seemed to fly by. We finally got some new facebook specialists called to take our spot. Right now we are working with them to train them, but it's great finally having some more hands to help us. Faith is such an important aspect of everything in our life. If we don't have faith, then we aren't really trusting in God, so we must learn how to develop that faith... even if it only begins with hope, or merely a desire for faith! God is great, and He can take whatever you give Him and make the most of it! Beautiful, just beautiful. 

Sunday: August 2nd

We had a lesson with Jenny Krill (someone we are teaching with Lands End 2 Elders) and we put her on date! She's going to be praying about August 29th as a potential day for her to get baptized, what a big journey it's been so far.  I'm super happy to see her continue to progress and pray for herself about which direction she needs to take in her life. Greater peace awaits her, more than ever known before, as she follows Christ more fuller in her life. And I invite you all to do the same! In what way can you come closer to Christ? What is one thing that comes to mind? Write it down, and act upon it. I know you'll be blessed!

Love you all, hope your week is amazing!

Love,

Elder LaRose 

2946 D Rd. Apt #D-3

Mailbox - #15

Grand Junction, CO 81504

keldon.larose@missionary.org