Arrival and Departure Photos...

Brand NEWBIES!  July 2015

Homeward Bound!
From Boys 2 Men!

Last week in the field....

Last week in the field....

The Stutz Family

Elder Kofford, Me and Elder Fullmer

The Stokes family

Peace out everyone!

So this week we have been working really hard.....I mean I always do that, but yeah.

We have been working with Albert consistently. I am getting a bit nervous about him because he is really struggling with the word of wisdom. I really hope he can strengthen his faith because we feel that that is what he is lacking right now.

Please everyone pray for him!

We also found a new investigator! Well actually one of our members had invited her to church and we snagged her and asked her if we could teach her! We taught her on Wednesday. Her name is Jamie.  We had to teach really simply because she didn't even know very much about Christ. So obviously we pivoted and taught about the Gospel of Jesus Christ instead. She even prayed at the end!  It was so awesome!

As you know, we are always working on finding new investigators. Well, we found an awesome potential this week named Terra. She is a Lutheran currently, but we are hoping that that is about to change. She accepted a Book of Mormon that we told her that she could borrow. We are hoping that by letting her "borrow" it, she will make it more of a priority to read it. We are going to stop by again this Friday!

We worked hard this week doing service for a lot of people.  We helped the May family move 650 pavers for there patio that they are making. That was a blast!  Love doing service!  We also helped Bro. Stokes dig out his septic tank.

We did Gospel ping pong with the Letham's this week. It is on facebook if you want to see the video.  The important thing is that the missionaries beat them and then they had to go share a scripture on the media! Oh yeah!

Peace out everyone!

Elder R.K. Northrup

FOREVER FISHING ... >C))>

The struggle for investigators continues......I feel like I am fishing with my bare hands. Since everyone is struggling with this Elder Tripp came up with an idea to do a FREE car wash service and then teach lessons on the spot for that. It's a great idea, but I doubt I will be here for that... which is a total bummer!

We were able to teach Albert this week. Which was a big lesson because it was on the Word of Wisdom. He read the entire pamphlet before we came by this week and we discussed it with him. While we were talking he just completely revealed his hidden concern to us. He talked about the reason he drinks is because of the death of his parents. He told us that drinks help numb the pain he is feeling. He also told us that he doesn't really like making very many friends because them dying would really irk him. We instantly started teaching him about the plan of salvation again. We testified of the blessing that the plan of salvation allows us to do, is see and live with our loved ones again. Then we bore testimony of how quitting these addictive vices that he has and replacing them with Scripture reading and praying and church attendance will bless him more than he knows. He accepted the invitation to live the Word of Wisdom and we will be stopping by to help him put together a plan for that with him.

We also helped this less active lady break into her car. That was a ton of fun. It took us about an hour and a half but we totally succeed without damaging the car too much! The less active lady even started to pray for the first time in a long time, to get the door unlocked! Man I love helping people.

I went on exchanges this week with Elder Oliva. I love that Hispanic man! He is so great. On our exchanges we got soaked by the rain. It was crazy well... not really because it happens all the time. We also got to teach Albert again. We shared with him these scriptures: 2 Nephi 32:2-4 (please read them).

We talked about how reading the scriptures would help Albert know exactly what to do to overcome his Word of Wisdom issues. It was an awesome lesson, I really hope Albert can overcome these obstacles. I believe he can do it, he just needs to believe he can.

Elder Oliva and me soaking wet!

We also taught our Iraqi friend Salih. We taught him at the Chapel because he did not want his family to see him cry and think he is weak. We taught him about the power of prayer and read from the scriptures to cry unto the heavens for everything that is needful. Spirit was so strong, I hope he realizes how true this gospel is that we are teaching him.

On Sunday, I went to my last mission devotional. I was crazy sad to be saying good-bye to so many of my favorite missionaries. I will see them when they return though. I said good-bye to Elder Mitton, Elder Perkins, Elder Higginson, Elder Latimer, Elder Stoker, Elder Payne, Elder Pinckney and plenty others. As we were singing the last song, I shed a few tears, in behalf of being able to serve the Lord and his people and being so grateful for that opportunity. I love missionary work, it is my favorite! 

Well I love you all and see you real soon.

Elder R.K. Northrup

The Mission Devotional Gang (Backseat: Elder Stoker and Elder Pinckney and Elder Steiner is driving.)

Elder Mitton and me... (basically the best duo.)

Entire Mission Photos with Elder Dube's on his Mission Tour

South Zones (Elder Northrup's back row... slightly right of center.)

North Zones

Tick Tock

Well, you know you are old in the mission when your old companions are counting how many days you have left for you. Thanks, I was thinking I would have to count them myself! (sarcasm)

Anyways this week has been really slow and its not just for us. Our entire zone seems to be under a famine of new investigators. It is getting really frustrating for all of us. We have been trying a lot of different tactics to find new investigators, but to no avail. This is where my extreme frustration comes in! Come on people don't you know that Elder R.K. Northrup is going home soon and you won't get to learn from me anymore? Man if that wasn't enough on top off that they are rejecting the only message that can bring them back to the Father. Human Race please open your eyes!! 

This week we were able to teach the Plan of Salvation to Albert (which happened Monday) and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He seems to really be learning and reading the book of Mormon with real intent which is exciting. However, he won't be getting baptized while I am in the mission because we weren't able to teach him the Word of Wisdom this week. Darn, total bummer! Oh well what's important is I truly believe he will get baptized in the future.

We have been trying to do more things to find new investigators like I talked about above. We decided to try setting up a booth with "Free Stuff" at our wards young woman's yard sale. Well we sat there ready to share with anyone who approached us! ................1 hour later no one approached us! What the crap! My disappointment towards the human race has heightened even more.

Lastly we talked to the old potential investigator named Joanne. She was really nice to us and asked a lot of good questions. The only problem is when we invited her to do something she would reply with "I will ask my pastor." 

Here is an example:

Will come to church? Joanna: "Let me ask my pastor. Okay?" Elder Northrups mind: (Stop having your pastor make your own choices!)

Ladies and gentleman this is someone who does not have REAL INTENT!

However, Elder Kofford set up a time for us to go back.

That was basically our week. It was long and annoying so I am praying that this next week will be better.

Elder R.K. Northrup

"Elder Northrup The Mighty" (per Elder Kofford)

(I got this hat from a member)... Photobombed!
"Don't look at me like that Eldar"

My silent rage/annoyed look.

Albert came to church!!!! The crowd went wild!

Wow this week has been really quite slow. Nobody seem to be wanting to have the door open! 

This continued until Thursday where we found this really nice lady named Jen Wilkerson. She is awesome and told us that she is looking for a church right now. We said,  "Awesome! We excel in that area of things!"  We were able to set up a time to meet with her on Wednesday, yeah for the gospel! What she does not realize is that she is about to learn the true and everlasting gospel that is the only true church in existence. To be continued!

We did some service with Bro. Stokes.  We put 4 panels of his fence up. It is looking really good and they just started his gate the other day. Fence building is a blast.  Super love service.

We met with Albert 4 times this weekend! Oh yeah! We taught the Restoration on Friday and he prayed to God at the end, which has previously been a struggle. His prayer was so genuine! The spirit was vibrant! He is a funny guy though because he knew he was feeling the spirit and wasn't sure what to do about it.  On Saturday we went to his house and we gave him a church tour of our building! That so good! He asked us a lot of great questions. We read him one of the sacrament prayers, and explained how church would work. So good!  On Sunday......................Albert came to church!!!!!!!!! The crowd went wild! It was awesome to see him at church and listen to the speakers. Man it was good to see someone progressing again.

On Monday we went by again and we taught him the Plan of Salvation. It was awesome. He asks such good questions. You can truly see his real intent as he ponders what we teach. That is literally the best thing to see in someone.

Monday we also did a lot of service for people. That was basically how we spent our memorial day.

Also I have been reading Jesus the Christ every night before I go to bed! It is now one of my favorite books. If you have not read it then you are missing out and need to read it. I also have discovered my deep love for the ancient Apostles and all that they did after Christ's death.

I love you all.

Elder R.K. Northrup

Wow!  I must be pretty holy!

Me and Elder Mitton.  Probs the best of pals!

These pictures are of a destroyed lightsaber.  That is a sad day!

This is a chalk drawing of someone getting cut in half with a lightsaber.