flat tires and Fontenelle

Hello! Holy cow, my first week in Fontenelle ward was so crazy. Things are a lot different here compared to North Platte! I went from corn fields to sky scrapers. The work here is progressing so much though, and i am loving both of my companions. Trios are definitely the way to go. Our area is crazy, lots of using the freeways to get around, and lots of people to talk to. We had a couple kids this week come up to us and yell at us, and then were throwing little rocks at us. They didn't hit us lol, but it was so funny. Also, it seems like everyone here has a giant pitbull haha. Overall, I am having a ton of fun, the ward is awesome, most of the people here are from Pocatello going to dental school! Is always nice to see Idahomies. So on the way from North Platte to Omaha, I was riding in the transfer van with about 6 other missionaries, and Elder Brinkerhoff was driving. Somehow, the fender on the trailer fell off, and wrapped itself in the wheels, and popped one of our tires. So we had to pull over. So Elder Burbank, Brinkerhoff, and myself jumped out to fix it on the side of the freeway. Well we got it unstuck, but we had to drop the trailer. So I ended up getting all of my luggage and study material the next day! It was crazy haha! We have 7 Elders in our ward, 4 of them are Karen speaking Elders from Burma. They are a hoot, i love them. Fontenelle is definitely one of my favorite areas so far! Its always something new everyday! Anyhow I am doing well, and I am excited for Christmas to come this week! We have Zone Conference on Wednesday! We are all hyped for it! Anyhow, I wish you all a merry Christmas! 

Love Elder Kirby

D&C 63:63 

Rev. 6:5 

 Trio

My trio and the Karen speaking Elders

moving to Omaha

So calls came in from President Gardner last night...I am being transferred back to Omaha, to the Fontenelle ward! I am really excited to go back to Omaha for Christmas though! However, I am really sad to be leaving North Platte, I am truly going to miss this area and all of the amazing members and investigators. But I am looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for me in Omaha! This week was relatively mellow, we had some great lessons with our progressing investigator families! They are all doing so well, and really soaking up the gospel. We got to go on Exchanges with the Lexington Spanish Elders this week, and it was so much fun, we froze our butts off, and Satan tested our patience, but overall, we were still able to do good things and find people to teach. The ward party this week was so much fun! We dressed up as ancient missionaries. It was great to have the members fellowship our investigators, and develop friendships! We also went caroling with the ward to light the world this week, it was an amazing opportunity to feel the spirit, and to touch others lives, it was definitely something that I won't soon forget. Anyhow, this week seemed to just fly by, I cant believe it! I am so grateful for every day that I have to serve my Heavenly Father, and to bring His message to my brothers and sisters. There is no greater work we can do than that of our Heavenly Fathers. Look for opportunities so share everywhere you go, especially this time of year when the spirit of Christ is so prevalent. Thank you so much for all of your love and support, I hope you have a good week, more to come next week im sure! I love you!

Elder Kirby

 The zone

 Early Christmas

I got no explanation for this photo, so enjoy a bunch of peacocks from Elder Kirby!

reunited

Hello Everyone, this week was a good week, its starting to get cold here again! It's been really nice lately! Monday was good, we had the Mccook Elders and the Sutherland Elders down to play disc golf. We had a blast! Tuesday we had exchanges with the Grand  Island Spanish Elders went with Elder Haight who is from southern California! We had a blast, he is definitely one of my favorite missionaries. We were able to talk to some pretty interesting people, but find some really great people to teach as well. Wednesday for us was another normal day of missionary work! And then Thursday we took off to Omaha to go to MLC, so we drove to Grand Island to stop and do a baptism interview for the Elders there, and then we took off again! Once we got to the Assistants apartment, we stayed the night with Elder Buxton and Osborn as well as Elder Brinkerhoff and Elder Burbank. Then Friday was MLC, and it was fantastic, President gave an amazing training on real intent behind taking the sacrament, as well as our missionary work. It was really awesome! The rest of Friday was spent driving home just in time to help some of our investigators move into their new apartment, which happens to be the same complex we live at! They are an amazing family, they came to church this Sunday, and had a great time. It was awesome to see the spirit work on them as we were asking them inspired questions, Mel opened up a lot with her concerns, and we were able to help her answer her questions! it was really cool! Sunday was awesome, we had quite a few of our investigators at church! It was a really great meeting! We are looking forward to working with all of them the next few weeks. Other adventures of this week included Elder Towne cleaning up my hair and cutting my neck with the clippers, and also having a nerf war with a member family after a dinner appointment. it was an overall great week! I am so thankful to be in Heavenly Fathers service, especially around this Christmas season. Have a great week, talk  to you again soon. love ya!

Elder Kirby

 disc golf

 when your companion gives you a haircut

reunited with Brinkerhoff

turkeyday

Hello! This week was such an amazing week here in good ol  Braska. We had thanksgiving this week, and it was a fun filled day for sure! Elder Towne and I woke up early on Thursday morning, and cooked a turkey for our district pot luck. And surprisingly it turned out pretty good haha! Until we got to district meeting and i made the decision to put it on warm in the oven....it turned to turkey jerky before we got to enjoy it lol. All  the Elders still ate it though!! After district meeting, we went out to the Adams family's house for another dinner, it was awesome, we ate a ton of good food, and then got to go out and feed and play with the cows! It was a good time, the Nebraska plains are so pretty, i love them! Following that dinner, we went and did service with the other North Platte Elders helping a lady in our ward move some stuff from a storage shed. And then....we ate another Thanksgiving meal at the Thornes house with one of our investigators! They are the most awesome family ever. We had a great meal, and then afterwards had a great lesson with our investigator! And then we set up their Christmas tree!! Overall, it was a really fun and enjoyable Thanksgiving. The next day, Elder Towne was sick, so we spent all day in our apartment. It was good, i did a lot of cleaning haha! But we were able to get a lot of work done the rest of the week. I cant believe that its almost Christmas, it sure doesnt feel like it, especially with it being like 75 today...crazy. Anyhow, the work is alive and well in North Platte, we are teaching a lot of amazing people and families that are progressing more and more each day. I am loving my time here! This coming week will be fun, we are headed to Omaha for MLC on Thursday to Friday, so i get to see Elder Brinkerhoff again! Should be fun! Anyhow, i hope you all have a great week! I appreciate all that you do. 

Love, 

Elder Kirby

Mosiah 18: 8-10 

 Football

 My first turkey

 Turkey carving

 District potluck

pretty proud of his bird

ponderingblessings

Hello everyone, this week was a really fast, but really good week. We had interviews with President this week, and they were amazing as always. Afterwards, we had a zone training meeting with some of the Elders and Sisters in the zone, it went really well. I gave a training that President and his wife gave the week before at zone conference...you will never know stressed until you have to give a training that your mission pres and wife gave the week before with Sister Gardner listening...it turned out pretty good haha! We had a great week seeing our inv. Charlie and Rose fed us this week, and we were able to have a lesson right after, they are awesome! We also taught Jana this week, she quit smoking! and she is progressing towards baptism here soon! Overall, we had a good week of seeing new people, and finding new investigators. I am thankful for thanksgiving, and all of the food we will get to eat! Its going to be awesome! We are building a fence and visiting inv. and members all day, so it should be a really fun day! Other than that, not too much else happened this week, Elder Towne and i are working well together, just trying to keep track of the days, because they all just kinda melt together haha! I am loving every second of my mission so far, i cant wait for the next few weeks! Anyhow, i love you all, have a happy Thanksgiving, and take time to ponder on all of the Blessings Heavenly Father has given us. 

Elder Kirby

reunited

This week was a fun filled and tiring week! We started our week off by traveling up to Omaha on tuesday night to stay with the AP's for MLC the next day, I got to see Elder Kendrick, and Elder Brinkerhoff!! Wednesday morning, we had our meeting, and we were taught by Elder Natress of the 70. He is such a fun guy, and I really enjoyed his training all about love and charity. It was a ton of fun to meet him and get to talk with him. We took off from Omaha and got back to North Platte just in time to go to two appointments. That night we had the Sutherland Elders come and stay with us so that we could go to Zone conference in Grand Island the next morning! Zone Conference was so amazing, President Gardner gave an amazing training on hope and faith. And then we got to be taught by Elder Natress again!! He gave an amazing training, and had us participate in some group activities. The spirit was so strong, and I learned so much. My faith in Jesus Christ grew so much, and I am thankful for that opportunity. 

This week, we will get to slow down a little bit, we have interviews tomorrow, and we are giving a zone training. Its also deer season around here, we saw a truck full of mule deer today at walmart...it was pretty great. Other than that, North Platte is awesome! I am loving every second I get to spend here!! And we are seeing some pretty awesome miracles! Charlie and Rose both attended church this week, as well as Jana and another of our investigators! They are all progressing really well, and we are having a lot of fun! Elder Towne and I  are doing well, we have a lot of fun together! I can't believe Thanksgiving is just next week! It seems like it was just yesterday I was thinking about Thanksgiving. We are having dinner with some awesome members, so I am really excited!! Anyhow, all is well! Thank you for all that you do, I love you!!

Elder Kirby

 Zone Conference with Elder Nattress

Watching movies (Mountain of the Lord, and Testaments) and eating potatoes out of the pot.

Isiah 6

Hello from snow covered NE!!! this week was full of awesome lessons, miracles, and a great stake conference!

This week was a ton of fun, we got our miles reset for the month finally, and it was just in time, it started to snow a little, and its getting pretty cold! Transfers happened this week too, so we drove down to Grand Island to transfer point to help the new missionaries. Which there wasnt a lot, because basically the whole zone stayed the same. Except for Elder Eva who is brand new who is here in North Platte with Elder Adams. He is a great kid, and he loves to hunt so i dig him haha! 

This week Charlie and Rose have been on fire, we have met with them every night at 8 o clock, they both are living the word of wisdom, and already have such a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. Charlie reads each pamphlet 3 times before we come back, as well as the gospel principles book! And Rose made it out to stake conference as well!! She is awesome!! We also had a great meeting with our investigator Joe, he is reading a lot, and told us that he believes the Book of Mormon is true! We are really excited to continue to teach him! 

We saw a lot of little miracles this week, but my favorite was when we were knocking some doors in a trailer park, and we came across this trailer, and as we knocked, a young man answered with his two boys. Elder Towne  began to talk about the restoration, and the guy was like "what reallly??"..."That sounds interesting, im listening" We were able to teach him and get a time to come back and teach his whole family! It was a small miracle, but truly a breath of fresh air! I was so happy. We also had a really powerful lesson with a part member family that we work with. The spirit felt like it was almost tangible. It was one of the coolest experiences of my mission. 

Anyhow, all is going well, we have a really busy week this week with a ton of driving. we get to stay the night with my best bud Elder Brinkerhoff, who is now an AP! Im super excited!! Anyhow have a great week! I am grateful for all of the support and prayers!!

Love Elder Kirby

2nd Nephi 32