1/26/15

Hello nothing much to talk about. But I decided I should anyway email still.

1 question. On my seminary report it says I still need 1 credit to graduate? It hasn't counted me going through the New Testament? 

Anyway. I'm packing my bags and I have everything in there except for my cloths I just washed and my blanket. Right now without those things in there my big red bag is at 50 pounds, my medium black bag is at 50 pounds, and my carry on is about 35 pounds or so, so I am going to have to do a little rearranging to get my blanket in there. Thankfully I don't plan on bringing a lot of white shirts back just a few, but the main thing is my blanket. I am SO thankful for a member who gave me a carry on suitcase. It makes my life so much easier. If I didn't have it my life would be a nightmare right now.

I got called on at the end of sacrament meeting to share my testimony. I could see it coming but I still wasn't prepared for it. I'm not a great talker. But it was ok i guess. Today for pday we plan on saying goodbye to some of the members. Our ward mission leader is taking us out today for dinner which is nice. 

I packed up my bike Friday. It should be picked up by FedEx today at the mission home. I was really worried because I bought a large frame bike, and its a lot more expensive to ship home a large box (over 70 dollars more) but the mission home had a small bike box and I squeezed my bike in there just barely! I was so happy. So hopefully when FedEx measures it the measure it as a small box so all I have to pay is 25 dollars instead of a large box where i would have to pay 100 dollars.

I'm going to send home my 2 boxes today. I don't know how much money I have left on my personal card hopefully enough. 

Friday we went to Berkeley for Elder Veamatahau's elbow doctor. It went well. The sad thing is we got a parking ticket for staying there over our meter time. I was sad. I went my whole mission without getting a ticket and then my last week I got one :( Oh well. I think I should pay it before coming home.

I will miss this ward its great. There is a guy who lived in Greenup county Kentucky and he plays the ukelele so I asked if he could sing My Old Kentucky Home before I left. I love it! But he had a different version of it. I still liked it though.

I was going to take a few pictures with the camera, but sadly I don't think the camera works anymore.

wow this has turned out to be one of my longer emails!

See you in a few days! 

Love,

Elder Ranquist 

1/12/15

So this week flew by. We had MLC (which is Mission Leadership Council) Where all of the Zone Leaders and Sister Training leaders and assistants to the President get together at the beginning of the month and discuss the mission and brainstorm ways to improve and help the missionaries. But this MLC district leaders were invited to attend, so I felt like I was back where I used to be when I was a zone leader! It was fun. MLC is such a great experience. I always feel the spirit when I go there. My companions doing well, we went to berkeley this morning for a doctors appointment for his elbow and I loved it! (Not the traffic getting there but going back to my first area with elder ammon doney. Its crazy that Ammon in now married! blows my mind. We had to teach seminary wednesday, and now we have to teach it again this thursday.... yay.... -.- But oh well I love the seminary teacher she's awesome! 

Do we know when President Chadwick will be able to set me apart? Will it be that night when I get back? It sounds like its pretty difficult to schedule a time for me to give a home coming talk.. maybe a smart decision to save you some trouble would be to not worry about it :D Well I know you won't accept that but, as long as I don't get up and speak with Elder Christofferson then thats ok with me. Maybe he will just talk to the missionaries when he's here and I will poke my head in and quietly listen in I would love that, hehe. Nothing else is exciting right now... I'm learning quiet a bit of tonga right now :) I'm getting the hang of it. Maybe when my companion goes home in a year and a half I can visit tonga and speak it fluently. We are going back to oakland next friday to go back to the doctors office for ElderVeamatahau and I think then I will go to the mission office and brake down my bike and send it home in a box. I decided i'm not going to send any of my boxes home yet with my stuff in it because I am still using some of the books that I want to put in the box so I will wait until the last pday to send it home.

Anyway have a great week!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

1/5/15

so it hasn't been too bad of weather lately. At least for me anyway. My companion isn't used to the cold at all so he's sick today but I've been fine. I heard its going to warm up this week too. Giving a talk on the 15th sounds fine with me. I do plan on going to the singles ward when I get back. I would love to be an ordinance worker at the temple I would definitely do it.

This week has been pretty slow again. We only had 1 lesson with an investigator this week. It's been hard lately. Biking around in the cold with no one on the streets to talk too and you visited a lot of people who don't answer or don't want you gets pretty discouraging after awhile. 

We had a great testimony meeting it was nice.

Had an interview with President Meredith this week to get my temple recommend renewed that was nice.

For New years eve we had a party and had the privilege of watching one movie. We watched How to train your dragon 2. It was nice, pretty funny. 

This week I get the chance to go to MLC for the last time. yay I'm happy about that. 

yup yup alright have a great week. Talk to you later!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

12/29/14

It was great to talk on Christmas. But now I really don't have anything to say today. Nothing happened in between that time. To answer your question on what I plan on majoring in. Right now what interests me to major in is Business Management especially Entrepreneurial Management. I'm sure its going to be difficult but that is what I am interested in right now. We have exchanges tonight with the zone leaders. And I am staying here while elder Craft is coming here its going to be great because Elder Craft was my companion in Union City. Its going to be just like old times! Alright I don't know what else to say. Guess I better start applying to byuI right now then hahaha yippie  Have a great week.Enjoy the new year! -Love, Elder Ranquist

12/22/14

Merry Christmas!

We had a christmas program at church as well it was very good. My favorite thing about yesterday was we got breakfast for dinner! I love that so much! :) Me and my companion are doing well. Elder Veamatahau loves to have fun and just brings a lot of happiness into missionary work. I'm so glad I am able to serve with him my last transfer its great! We have investigators planning on feeding us dinner today at 5 and we will teach them at 6 after dinner. The sad part is before we come over our member and investigator will be shooting guns and i want to join them soo bad! haha.

as for when I will call you during christmas I'm not completely sure yet. I think I might be calling around 5 my time which is around 8 or so your time. But I will call you before I get on skype to let you know.

By the way do you know of someone named Steve Payne? He wrote me a letter today and he's from Louisville third ward and hes a recent convert? I was very interested in his story that he wrote it was very spectacular. Do you know him at all?

Talk to you soon!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

12/15/14

Hey so transfer calls were Saturday! My last transfer is here CRAZY! I am staying here in Brentwood and am so happy. But at the same time sad that Elder Weaver is leaving. Hes going to enjoy it in Hayward though. I will be getting a Tongan elder named Elder Veanatahau. I don't know anything about him other then he's about 6'5'' and 280 pounds. I hope he does alright in a bike area! Its going to be great though I heard he is a really nice and funny personality.

We haven't had anyone at church this week sadly but are close to having some we are really trying to work hard on that.

This week we have been getting some much needed rain. Thursday we had Zone Conference and that was the day we were supposed to get a horrible storm to come through. It was a storm but it wasn't as bad as they were all expecting. We had a white elephant gift exchange at the end of the conference and I got a stuffed elf with some skittles. I gave away an ultimate frisbee. We sang in Zone Conference and it was good. Oh 2 weeks ago the priesthood asked us elders to lead in the songs for priesthood meeting so I played the piano then. Thankfully they didn't ask me to play yesterday, I think its a sign that they didn't enjoy my playing the first time :) 

My old companion in Union City is coming to be a zone leader over here in Antioch. Elder Craft. The zone leaders are in my district so its great to be able to see him again. 

Have a nice week!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

12/8/14

darn oh well. Everything out here is going well. We have zone conference this week which will be fun. This past week ElderWeavers bike needed repairing so we went to one of our members who is really into bikes and he repaired it. Another missionary in the ward over from us flipped over his  bike and broke his arm this week. He's ok. Testimony meeting we good on Sunday. Elder Weaver and I are doing well. We have plenty of food, all I bought from the store today is milk, Chocolate milk, and egg nog since I have plenty of stuff at the apartment. Nothing really happened this week pretty boring. I'm alive and still ok. No investigators at church this week. Hopefully next week.

Have a great week be safe!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

11/30/14

HEY thats awesome! Congratulations! I like the idea tyler had that would be a funny picture.

We had a great Thanksgiving. We only had one family sign up for dinner that day so we were worried that we wouldn't have a lot to do. But we ended up doing service in the afternoon. It was a Brentwood Street Feast. They deep fried a lot of turkeys and had the traditional food there all for free for all of Brentwood. There was a lot of people there and they had free entertainment and they gave out free clothes to everyone and a lot of other food. We now have a fridge full of turkey and mash potato's. And we got some clothes. I just got a t-shirt and some super skinny jeans haha. I'm not a fan of skinny jeans but they were free so I just tried them out. Anyway after service we went to the dinner appointment that was scheduled and had some great food there. It was with a less active family, the husband by the end of our visit was playing Johnny Cash music. After that we were invited by the sister missionaries to go to some other members house, a part member family's house. And they had a lot of food there too! I was stuffed by the end of the night. So our thanksgiving went well. No throwing up which is good. 

Other then that we had a great week. We found 2 new investigators. One of them was from the former investigators list and another was a referral. The former investigator works at a care home so we teach her there. She is very nice but I'm not sure how much she will commit to do things yet.The other new investigator is Domingo, he works as a hotel front desk people person. concierge or what ever you call them. He is great and has talked with the missionaries for a long time now. The only problem that he has is that he is gay. So he doesn't really want to join the church but he loves talking with the missionaries. He's definitely seen God play a role in his life.

A big initiative the church is bringing out this Christmas season is He is the Gift. Go on to Christmas.mormon.org and you can see the video for yourself. The church has bought out the youtube front page and also screens in New York Time square to advertise this message. That's pretty expensive!

Good luck on the cruze I wish I could go too!

have a great week and stay safe.

Love,

Elder Ranquist

11/24/14

hello,

Well this week was great. We had a lot of service opportunities lately. We started serving at the local brentwood museum because someone we visit recommended it to us. It was amazing! We went there and they have so much stuff. A few restored model T's, old tractors, and old school room and old history related to Brentwood. My companion and I spent our time washing the old fire engine and put on lights around the truck in preparation for the Brentwood festival that just happened Saturday. We also served in the Brentwood festival pretty much all day putting floats and people in the right places and doing other things. It was fun to see the parade and shows. They even had a group of dancing horses perform. Also we went to some other members house and helped them clean and we found a box of old record albums. They even had one of the beach boys original records which i would bet would be worth something. Does our record player still work? Or do we even have it any more? 

We went by our ward mission leaders house this sunday and discussed a lot of the old progress records by the other missionaries and we found quite a few former investigators to go by and teach. We already stopped by a few and set return appointments with them and they seem great to far. One of the people we stopped by the husband and wife both have a harley. The wife nina is probably getting a new harley this weekend actually. I thought that was pretty cool :)

Our thanksgiving is pretty shallow this thursday. We have one member signed up for 3:30 but other then that we don't have anything set. We aren't supposed to be knocking on doors thursday so pretty much we are going to have to spend the whole day riding our bikes talking to people because we haven't been invited to members homes, we will find a way to do something it will be alright. One of our investigators might be allowing us to come over on thanksgiving which is exciting. I think the last thanksgiving at home for me was with the david and susan and lori and grandma right? I don't remember that well haha.

We will you be back from the vacation. I'm thinking about sending some boxes home soon of mission stuff so I won't be so heavy coming home and I don't want them just sitting out of the house for a few weeks.

Other then that have a great week and have a happy thanksgiving!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

11/17/14

Hello

Elder Bednar is awesome. We had a great meeting with him. I was able to see my former companions it was great to see them again. I actually recognize  someone from the san jose mission. He was in the same zone as me in the mtc, I actually used to have a picture of me and him on my camera but that was deleted awhile ago. I was able to sit in the second row from the front so it was great to be so close to Elder Bednar. The spirit was definitely strong in that room while he was there. I was expecting elder bednar to give a talk to us missionaries. But what he actually did is asked us questions, and at the end of it we were given the chance to ask him questions. There was a lot of great subjects that he pointed out, So things he talked about was Faith and being an Agent and not just an object, acting instead of being acted upon.

Everything else is going well, no progress with our investigators yet, but hopefully soon. Elder Weavers awesome. I'm hanging in there.

Love,

Elder Ranquist

11/10/14

Haha thats awesome I love the picture! Its so great to hear that everyone is doing well. I hope the best for everyone and have faith that blessings will continue to come.

Lately this area has been a little slow. A lot of our investigators have been flaking and not a lot of the less actives are wanting to meet with us so its been pretty rough. I am just trying to help Elder Weaver and set a good example for the rest of his mission but he's pretty sad that we aren't seeing as much success.

I'm really excited for this saturday. Elder Bednar is coming to our mission and he will talk with us missionaries. Its going to be great.

Nothing is really happening with our investigators, they didn't come to church but hopefully next week they will. 

I did get my coat from the other apartment so all is well.

have a great week and talk to you later

Love,

Elder Ranquist

11/3/14

Hello, Yup I got the picture. Its awesome! Its great to hear from you. So, Transfer calls happened Saturday night and transfers are this Tuesday, But as I expected I am staying here for another transfer with elder Weaver. I think I will be staying out here for my last transfer as well but I don't know if I will stay with Elder Weaver or not. Lately the weeks have been getting slower and slower which is sad. Our investigators have not been keeping commitments and we are starting to drop a few. So, at least we have more time to go out and find new people! yay. Theres not a lot of things happening recently. Only things exciting coming up is Elder Bednar is coming to the mission on the 15th of November and we will be having a temple trip I think by the end of November so that means pday will be changed I will give you more information on that when it gets closer to the date. 

One of our investigators came to church for the first time! They came in the door and saw everyone all dressed up and felt intimidated and under dressed even though they dressed up too. So they left right then. Sadly we didn't see them when they came in we just saw a text they sent later that day. So we plan on talking with them about that this week and hopefully seeing them next sunday.

Its been getting a lot colder around here in Brentwood. I had to pull out a jacket for the first time yesterday. Sadly the one that I love, the J Crew one from highschool, its right elbow has been worn away so now there is a hole there, thankfully I still have back up jackets so all is well.

Alright have a great week! Cant wait to buy some egg nog i hope they have some in stores today. We had some egg nog for dinner yesterday with the bishop and his family. The dinner was great! We had some nice stake. Great way to break a fast.

Have a great week! Talk to you later.

Love,

Elder Ranquist

10/27/14

Hello, this week went pretty well, nothing to bad happened it was just a little slow. So, Both Elder Weaver and I spoke during sacrament meeting on the christlike attribute of charity and Love. It was good. Started out my talk saying, you know how hawaii says aloha before their talk, well, in Kentucky we say Howdy Yall!" Well really we don't but I think I should start doing that :) I was worried that Elder Weavers and mine would be to similar but thankfully it wasn't so it worked out perfectly. A member described our talks in a good cop bad cop kind of way. Elder Weavers was a good cop and was happy, while mine was a bad cop and on a more serious note, but that they both were a good combination. I feel like I seem to come across that way a lot. Where I don't show a lot of emotion and come across as serious, I think I lost my "smiley boy" stage when I grew up. I'm working on it.

 Some exciting news. Elder Bednar is coming to our mission September 15th-16th! He is coming here to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Oakland temple! He will be speaking to only the missionaries from the Oakland and san jose missions on the 15th and then to the members on the 16th. It felt just a little while ago we had Elder Cook here, and We just had ElderHamula 2 weeks ago. I love it!

  So glad to hear the surgery went well, I hope you still can have a healthy and speedy recovery and enjoy your trip you will get to go on soon.

Love you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Ranquist

10/13/14

This week we actually had stake conference as well . Lots of conferences. We even had zone conference a few weeks ago and now we are having another conference this thursday. Elder Hemula is coming to our mission to tour it and he will be talking to us. I'm excited its going to be great.

The Mission home wants me to tell you to mail them my pass port so that way they can make my plane tickets as soon as possible. So when you get a chance (go back to kentucky) they would like that soon,

We had dinner with the bishop and his family yesterday. It was good food! And what amazed me is their family went out this morning and shopped for us, bought us all types of food and dropped it off at our apartment this morning. They are so nice. I love this ward.

Our investigators are doing well, Sadly none of them came to stake conference this week but hopefully they will come to church this sunday. One of our investigators gave us some wonderful pie this week is was so delicious! I love pie. Also he gave us pizza and Ice cream, almond and pistacio ice cream it was very delicious. 

Anyway hope you continue to have a great time and I hope everything goes well I will be fasting and praying for you!

Love,

Elder Ranquist 

10/6/14

loved General Conference. One of my favorites was the second talk in the saturday morning session think it was something like Robbins or so. He was talking about if we lower our standards its an apostasy. Bednars was great. We had an investigator there with us at the stake center watching it with us when he was talking so it was great!

This morning we got a call from some senior couple missionaries and they wanted us to help them clean up an apartment that they are getting rid of. So this morning after studies we spent an hour and a half clean an apartment and then they were kind enough to buy us some subway afterward so I'm really full now :) 

We had zone conference this week and guess what. We were actually able to see Meet the mormons before it came out. I loved it. I personally loved the fighter. it was cool and of course the candy bomber.

anyway good luck! Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Ranquist

9/29/14

Hello!

This week was great! It flew by fast. I was in Oakland pretty much every day this week. For Transfers one day and then picking up the new missionary and then training the new missionaries after that! 

My companions name is Elder Weaver. He is from Las Vegas. His family actually moved a month before he left to Utah. He's a great person and loves to cook which I don't mind at all :) Elder Weaver and I are pretty much the same person, which is both good and bad. We are getting along well so far. He used to wrestle in High school, reminds me of Kevin.

Sad thing happened. Our "golden investigator" Moved back to upstate new york this week.. :( Sad. But now she is with her husband again and she's going to get baptized! So I'm happy I was able to be a part of teach her and getting to know her. 

The area around here is cooling off which is nice. Hopefully it doesn't get too cold because I don't want to wear a jacket while biking, I just get so sweaty wearing a jacket on bike. 

Its amazing I am reaching my last General Conference already, I remember my first as a missionary sitting in the Berkeley Chapel. One of the things I am going to focus on the most during General Conference this time is mainly how to improve my scripture study and prayer. I know that my patriarchal blessing has a lot to do with study and prayer so I hope to learn how to do it better.

I cant believe that its already October, its crazy. For my birthday, and for christmas I don't want anything. The reason being is anything that I get now I'm just going to have to pack up in a little while, and everything I have now is holding up so far, so I would like to save space and weight. Now if you aren't satisfied with that answer then, if you really want, I would love to maybe, kind of see how much a 9mm pistol would cost so I can start shooting when I'm back in Kentucky :D. 

Have a great week! Love you!

Love,

Elder Ranquist