Burnin shirts

Holy crap, I cannot believe that it is Monday again already. This is ridiculous how fast time is going, we sure had a busy week this week. First off, all of the Zone Leaders and STLs got invited to Presidents house for a BBQ. It was a ton of fun! We ate burgers and got to play some basketball in the pouring rain! We had a blast. After that, we came home and went on exchanges with the North Platte 2nd Elders. It was a good exchange and we got a lot of work done! The highlight of my week was on Friday though. We got to go on a temple trip for passing of level two of scriptures. (I passed mine off Thursday) and we took off up to Omaha again. We had a wonderful time at the temple, it was an amazing session, and definitely the highlight of my week.

Elder Brinkerhoff and I also hit our year mark this week...lol wierd. we don't talk or think about it, so I wont say much more, but we did get to burn our shirts. So that was really fun. 

Speaking of Elder Brinkerhoff and I, we have been having a ton of fun, I am teaching him how to wrestle, and it is a blast. He is actually getting pretty good! We are working hard and teaching some really cool people. This is probably my favorite transfer so far, and one of my favorite companions too. We are getting along really well! North Platte is still good, not much changes around here. I absolutely love it. Its amazing I am hoping that I will be here a while! Oh yeah, we also had our interviews this week, so that was cool! I always love interviews. I also had to speak in church on Sunday, with our bishops wife..she warned me that I better take all of 15 minutes....well I may have misjudged  the length of my talk and only talked for 10 minutes haha...she wasn't too mad at me at least haha! I think I earned some brownie points by taking on their pancake challenge...All of the Elders do this challenge where they see how many pancakes and eggs they can eat, and then the top 10 go on the white board in their kitchen. Lets just say that I really wanted my name on that board...So I proceeded to eat 22 pancakes and 4 eggs and now I am in second place on the board. The record is 29 and 4 so I am going to get that in a couple weeks when we go back. Anyhow, I am having a blast! And loving my mission! I'm looking forward to a good week! Thank you for all that you do!

Love Elder Kirby

One year down

This week was straight fire. Elder Brinkerhoff and I are tearing it up. We had a pretty good week, North Platte is a little different, because our Zone is the largest in the United States I guess lol. Its awesome, because everything out here is in the country. We got to drive to Ogalala which is a town that is in the mountain time zone! We also got the opportunity to drive out to the Sand Hills Branch to attend church with our investigator Jeff. And I could hardly believe my eyes when I got there, the whole church was about the size of a one level home. The chapel was the size of our kitchen. There was about 20 people in attendance, and I am pretty sure there was not one person besides us that didn't have boots on. It was such a blast. Afterwards, we drove out to an Elders house who served here and went home on Thursday. His family moved to Nebraska, so he just drove home, we visited him, and his mom cooked us steaks. It was awesome. This next week is going to be a busy one, we have to drive to Omaha twice. Once for the temple trip, and again tonight for MLC tomorrow, as well as a BBQ at presidents house! It is going to be awesome. 

We had a really neat lesson this week, So we were told that there was a man that had been being taught by the branch pres for about 3 weeks, he moved up from Georgia, and married a member of the church. Well, we got invited up to teach a lesson this week, so that he can progress towards baptism. So we drove about an hour and a half to a small town of 50 called Thedford, and we taught one of the most powerful and spirit filled lessons of my mission so far. He has a heart of gold, and told us he was ready to be baptized, we committed him to pray, and he said, "I already know what God is going to tell me...its true." So we are looking forward to his baptism on the 22 of this month. 

Anyhow, Elder Brinkerhoff and I are doing well, we are having fun and kicking butt. I am super excited for  this transfer! Its going to be legendary. Anyhow, have a good week! 

Love,

Elder Kirby

Mosiah 18

Adios Lincoln

This week was fun, it flew by! We did lots of service and went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders this week. I got to go with Elder Osborn, who is from Washington, and we had a blast, he is hilarious. We had a crazy experience with one of our investigators, She is from Africa, and we taught her the Restoration, and after we were done, we knelt and invited her to say the closing prayer. She agreed, and asked if she could do it in her native tounge, we said yes, and she began to sing. It was like a really soft lullaby almost, and I though to myself " ok cool I can dig this" and then out of nowhere she starts screaming in her language, like she is angry at someone. I looked up and saw that she had her arms stretched out and was rocking back and forth. I was trying not to laugh, and then she spoke English for a couple words, and she was saying "Hallelujah! Praise Jesus!" I didn't know what to do, so I closed my eyes and focused. And that's when I started to feel the spirit really strongly. She finished her prayer and stood up and had tears in her eyes. I am so excited to work with her in the future.

We also got to help move about 1400 bricks. Our Friday was so nuts. It started out mowing a lawn for a member of our ward, and then going right to move bricks, and then to helping at the People City Mission, and then to another members home to help him clean up some stuff in his house. It was a crazy day full of hard work! It was so much fun!

The rest of the week was relatively slow, we are working hard and teaching lots of people! I found out today that I will be transferred, to North Platte, with one of my best friends Elder Brinkerhoff! Where I will be a Zone Leader, over seeing 2 or 3 districts. It's going to be fun, but I am going to miss Lincoln! Anyhow, hope you all have a good week!

Love Elder Kirby

Questions

1. In the event of a tornado do you have a shelter in your apartment complex? Go to the basement

2. Tried any new foods? I ate fish this week

3. Best place to eat in Lincoln?  Honest Abe's (burger joint)

4. Any guesses on where and if you get transferred? I already found out!! North Platte

 Elder Ozbourn and I

 Jungles of Nebraska

 Searching for the truth

 Hangin out

Tornado

This week was so awesome! Lots of crazy cool things happened, first off, I got to go on exchanges with Elder Beazer, and we had a ton of fun teaching and talking to everyone we saw! That has been one of my new goals, to not let anyone pass by without being talked to. It was awesome. We had a great district meeting this week, about setting appropriate and attainable goals. It was all based off of the talk "Return and Receive" from this last general conference. It is awesome, and one of my fav talks! The biggest highlight of me week, was the storm we had on Friday night. It was so crazy, and pretty scary, the sky turned green and everything, so I started to pack a survival kit because we had all the signs of a tornado. There weren't any sirens or anything, but the storm was nuts! And apparently, a tornado may have touched down about half mile away from our apartment. So that was cool. Other than that we had a pretty normal week! I cant believe how fast time is going! its so crazy! Transfers are in a week and a half! I am hoping to stay, even though its not very likely! I guess we will find out soon enough! I am having a blast and loving my mission. It is truly a gift. I am enjoying every second of it. Thank you for all that you do, have a good week!

Elder Kirby

*Due to computer issues at the library he says sorry the emails are so short this week!!

I'm 20!!

This week was awesome! I turned 20, so that was weird! Thank you to everyone for the birthday gifts and wishes, it was truly one of my greatest birthdays.

This week was so sweet, we got to teach some sweet lessons. AND MIKE CAME TO CHURCH!!

On Tuesday, we fasted from our car in order to talk with more people, and it was so much fun, because the weather has been so awesome! its hot. We found a bunch of really cool investigators, but my favorite lessons was with Mike. We went over one day to teach mike the restoration again, and his friend was there too. (his name is Michael) Michael started to ask us a bunch of questions about the gospel, And after a little while he mentioned that he had been feeling weighed down from all the mistakes he has made. So we taught him about repentance, and he was eating it up. Well the lesson ended, and we came back the next day, and Michael had a huge smile on his face and all he said was "guys I did it, and I feel so happy"  That made me so happy. I cant really describe how it feels when an investigator feels the spirit and then tells you about it. its amazing. Mike and Michael both came to church as well, and Michael cried through the whole thing. I was so happy! They both loved church and are looking forward to coming back next week!

Another amazing part about this week, was Zone Conference! It was awesome! President and Sister Gardner both gave awesome trainings about the Book of Mormon, and developing Christ like attributes. IT was so sweet! Also, our mission killed it in the points challenge we were doing, so we got to play soft ball! IT was really fun! I love zone conference! Other than that, it was a pretty normal week this week! We had a huge storm this morning, that shook our entire building, so that was sweet. We have a busy week scheduled! Thank you again for all of the Birthday cards and letters! I appreciate and love you all!!

Elder Kirby

 June Birthdays

 Softball

Zone Softball

sunshine and fishing

This week was awesome, the weather is getting nice and warm, and my tan is coming in quite nicely. from my biceps down. This week we had a ton of fun, we went on some pretty sweet exchanges. I got to go with Elder Swaner, and we decided that we needed to run all day in order for us to accomplish all the work that Heavenly Father needed us to do. So we took of running, and ran in between people, and different appointments. I was dripping sweat, but we found 5 new investigators. t was such a good day. If we put In the work to accomplish all that Heavenly Father needs us to do, then we will see miracles. My other exchange was with Elder Johnson, and it was fun, we did a ton of service. In fact we built and entire play set. It took forever, but it was so much fun. We also had stake conference this week, and it was such a blessing, because Damaris spoke! She did an amazing job, she forgot her talk, so I told her to just go completely by the spirit. And she killed it. She didn't even realize that she spoke in front of Elder Evanson of the 70 until I told her after. She is truly amazing, and we are going to the temple with her for baptisms in a couple weeks! I am super excited. Other than that, we got to go fishing in a private pond surrounded by huge mansions...It was the weirdest fishing I have ever done, but it turned out pretty good, I caught 8 total! This week has been a fun one, I am super excited for next week though, because we have zone conference with softball afterwards!  I love being a missionary. Its the greatest work in the world. I am loving every single day. More to come next week. Much love, and thanks!

Elder Kirby

 Stop and smell the flowers every once in awhile!

 Fishing

more fish

lovin Lincoln

This week was awesome! We started out this week with interviews with President Gardner, and it was amazing, I love being able to learn from him. And always Sister Gardner's cookies were amazing. This week we had the opportunity to do a lot of service. On Wednesday, we helped an investigator family move. We were also on exchanges with out Zone Leaders, so it was Elder Johnson and I. We moved like 3 fridges and tons of heavy furniture. It was awesome. That same day, an inactive guy that we see,  invited us over for breakfast, he said that he makes these huge pancakes and has never seen anyone eat more than one. Well when Elder Johnson and I went over, we challenged him that we would eat 3 if he would give us his cigarettes. So he laughed at us and cooked us these three massive Pancakes. He was also kind enough to add a fried egg, as well as a strip of bacon. As soon as I got my plate I went ham. After many fork fulls of pancake, I finished. and it was in about 15 minutes. James could hardly believe that I ate it all. But he did give us his cigarettes. That was such a good day, Elder Johnson is so much fun! Also one other crazy thing that we discovered is every Friday and Saturday night, on O street, every nice car in Lincoln drags main. Like people line the sides of the road with their families, and watch all the nice cars, race each other and do huge burn outs right on the street. It is pretty loud and crazy. It was pretty cool to see though!

We have been able to teach some of our investigators this week, and it is so awesome to be able to help them progress! I love being a missionary so much!

Yesterday was pretty fun as well, we had to skip emails yesterday because of Memorial day, so that meant that we got to have a long p-day! We played a ton of basket ball, and some disc golf! It was so much fun! Anyhow, we have exchanges today with the other Trendwood Elders! So that will be way fun! We have a lot of fun people we are meeting, and I am excited to talk with more peeps as the weather gets warmer! Thank you for all that you do! I love you!

Elder Kirby 

 Popsicles

 Early birthday party!

cake that Elder Beazer made me