Chupacabra

Hey y'all! It's been a big week.

I got the opportunity to extend a baptismal date to Jean Paul. My first! He accepted, and we finally have some investigators truly progressing. Jean Paul has apparently had a rough past according to his mother, but you would never know it talking to him. He's as gentle as a lamb. His girlfriend and Mom are going be taught too! We're going to get a family, I'm sure of it. The Lord sure loves these people, he just WILL NOT let them get away! Haha.

I have been praying for opportunities to apply what I'm learning and know people are falling into our laps. I got to go on an exchange with the APs (assistants to the president) this week as well. I was happy to learn as much as I did - and also to see that I'm being too hard on myself! I need to rejoice in my progress, because even the APs get doors slammed on them and crazy people dragging out asinine stories.

We had a guy we knocked into this week that we just didn't know what to do with. As paul would have said 'ye are too superstitious' Haha! He just wanted to keep telling us about Chupacabra and Indian graves and how his girlfriend was possesed. She was the most normal person on the whole block, I swear. He had some glow in the dark nail polish on his porch, so I thought for sure - 'gun guy' - and sure enough, when he turns around to invite us into his house, his shirt was caught on a pistol hanging out of his waistband.

I think I've probably found five or six potential investigators so far by talking about guns. A couple guys have wanted me to check out their pistols that they were particularly fond of, and just handed them to me on their front porch to show off. Texas is weird.

I went through our 12 week this week, and was one of several people to get an IPad that's non-functional. Oh well, I'm sure it will get taken care of soon. Maybe I'll get lucky and get a Samsung like all the new missionaries?

Thanks for all your letters and Emails. I love pictures! Hopefully when the tablet situation gets figured out, I'll have more pictures to share too.

Don't forget to share the gospel!

 Elder Derek Troy

District Training.  Elder Troy is back far right.  Showing some companion love with Elder Vickers.

Classes with old MTC friends Elder Chamberlain and Elder Wiese.

Role play with President Mortensen.

Hanging out after a missionary fireside for the Texas Houston Mission.  Waiting for refreshments maybe?

Lots-o-teachin' going on here!

Hey Everybody! Sorry the contact has been so weak the last couple of weeks. I'll be getting a tablet on wednesday, so I'll be able to read emails at any time during the week and be able to send more emails with better pictures every week.

This week was awesome! On exchanges, Elder Pablo (from another area) and I were in our area (Spring) and found four new people! That doesn't happen much in this area. One is a family of four (three baptismal aged) I'm really excited to teach!

The other is Jean Paul. I was SO excited for Jean Paul! I got my first chance to extend a 'soft' baptismal invitation with him. Basically it's 'if you come to know these things are true, will you be baptised'? And he accepted! If we can keep teaching him I'm confident we can baptise him. However, now we're having a hard time getting ahold of him. What the heck!? We're finding people and teaching them like crazy, but they never keep their appointments!

We also went to an indoor climbing gym today for P-Day. The first cool P-Day thing we've done!

Hope all is well in sunny St. G and snowy Washington.

'til next week!

Elder Derek Troy

SNOW?! In TEXAS??? Whaaaat?

Hello!!

Here is Elder Troy’s latest letter.  Short-n-sweet, huh?  He’s obviously busy and working hard!  

He’s been out about 7 weeks now in Texas.  After 8 weeks he’ll get his own iPad and will take more pics.  After 12 weeks he’s likely going to be transferred to another location and have a different companion.  Right now he’s still with Elder Vickers.

Please continue to keep him in your prayers and don’t forget to email him once in a while.  Can’t promise he’ll email back every week, but he sure loves getting emails and U.S. Mail.  Here’s his address again if you feel the need to write.  (he loves odd socks—WHO gave him the reindeer socks?!—and when the mailbox is full!)

We love you!

JD, Terri & Family

P.S.  Anyone else get the crack about not sending warm clothes think that was directed at Mom?  I kind of wanted to send him warmer clothes but three days after their 21 degree day, it was 79!  Enjoy the video of him shivering.  Haha.

Elder Derek Allen Troy

derek.troy@myldsmail.net

26325 Northgate Crossing Blvd., Apt. #1510

Spring, TX  77373

NOTE:  The video is posted on the Facebook account and in the group email, but not on here.  Sorry!

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Hey all! 

It actually snowed here in Houston this week! I looked it up and it turns out we hit a low of 21 F. Apparently that's pretty cold for TX! I'm told it has only snowed in Houston 34 times since 1895.

With the high humidity, that made tracting pretty uncomfortable if I'm honest, haha! That’s probably the coldest I'll be on my mission though - it was very unusual!  Note: That is not a request for anyone to send me warm clothes.

We hit another record this week for sacrament meeting attendance - our goal is to get the ward split!

Not much else going on here presently. I love you all! 

Going on a mission will never be the wrong decision - for anyone wondering if they should go.

Love,

-Elder Troy

Don't let an hour pass you by...

Here's Elder Troy's latest email.  Looks like he still hasn't received his own iPad.  Hopefully next week?  It's good to hear his voice in this video.  Must have been a little sightseeing tour to see Christmas lights around town.  If this doesn't play again on the blog, please visit the Facebook page instead.  Don't know how to fix it.

Please continue writing and praying for him.  He told me to tell all of you THANK YOU for the gifts and emails at Christmas.

We appreciate and love you!

JD & Terri & Family

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Hey y'all!

This week has been pretty quiet. I did accidentally discover someone's crack pipe. We were helping them move their yard sale out of the rain and a nice blue glass crack pipe fell out of a tool chest it had been hidden in. Whoops! Never know what treasures you may find at a yard sale.

Also, get Crocked! I've been mastering crock pot cooking these last few weeks and do some mean pulled chicken tacos now.

Speaking of food, this week we got to eat some authentic Boudin (Boo-Dan) from an African-American market at a member's house. Good stuff! They sure know how to eat here.

I'd like to share a brief quote from a book I received for Christmas:

"Cynicism is an intellectual cop-out, a crutch for a withered soul, a thin excuse for inaction and retreating commitment. Do not become cynical about government or education or civic affairs or religion or the human race or the time in which you live. Do on the other hand, be appropriately concerned and actively involved."

- Jeffery R Holland “Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall”: A Look at the “Me Decade”

Never forget how precious and significant this life we have is. Never waste a second when there is something better you could be doing. Our lives are not counted in Eons or millennia, but in years. We are lucky to see 100. They say becoming an expert in something takes 10,000 hours. So don’t let an hour pass you by.