December 23, 2014

So Monday: we did a lot of sitting around. there isn't a whole lot we can do in Beattyville especially running low on miles. Tuesday: we Did a lot of finding! I love finding new people!! Wednesday: we went and had some lessons with Less actives and Some Investigators, this time of year is slow because of everyone is at families and getting ready for Christmas. Thursday: we had Interviews with our Mission President and also a training by our Assistants to the Mission President i learned so much! I love President Brough!! After interviews we went on an exchange with our district leader and i got to be in London for that night and Friday! Friday: we were on Exchanges and so i was in london all day i learned so much from our district leader! Saturday: we had weekly planning and then we had everyone of our appointments not show up so we returned to talking with people on the sidewalk. then that afternoon we cleaned our car for the Christmas Conference on Monday! Sunday: we had church only 15 members showed up! haha super small Branch! After church we had a Pot luck at the church it was super good! Then we came home did some laundry and had some dinner and then traveled to Frankfort after picking up Mt. Sterling in Lexington.Monday: we finished driving from Frankfort to Louisville. that is a super long drive! and we went way over miles seems how we had to drive all the way up there so we are walking for the rest of the week! But the Christmas party was really awesome and a lot of fun! i got to see all the members to my MTC District! that was sweet i hadn't seen three of them since arriving in Kentucky! and we had a lot of fun activities!! I got to demonstrate how to rope to sisters with Elder Gay from Elsinore Utah, so the sisters could rope the Zone Leaders that ran around on hands an knees acting as cows super funny to watch! I loved the Activities Sister Brough and President Brough came up with! We had a tie exchange! and a contest to see who could build a puzzle the fastest, and who could stuff the most big marshmallows in their mouths. and who could hold a spoon on their nose the longest. and so much more! but then at the end we had to say goodbye to all our friends i took a lot of pictures with other missionaries! (coming in next email) and the drive from Louisville to Beattyville is forever! 

Love,

Elder Durfee 

December 15, 2014

So this week was a pretty crazy week. I got transferred!! Monday: we played basketball at the church. and ate dinner with a member, and that night i got packed for the big move. Tuesday: was transfers but I didn't have to go all the way to Louisville because I stayed inside the same zone so I am still in the same are as my last place. unlike my last companion did to pick up his new companion. I just got picked up by my new companion Elder Carter at my apartment with a member from the Beattyville Branch. We took an hour and a half ride to Beattyville from Lexington, and we did some tracting when I got there. Wednesday: we went through our area book and cleaned it out so that we could find all of the former investigators to start with them, because there isn't a lot of people open to the gospel at the time and they all live so far away from each other and there is only about 2 or 3 apartment complexes in this area. and it covers about 4 counties. it takes and hour to an hour and a half to drive from one end to the other. Thursday: we continued working with the area book and we went and taught some Less Actives. and We drove through a creek with our car it was pretty legit!! Friday: we had zone meeting and we learned about how to study for our investigators. which with it being almost a 2 hour drive to lexington and the meeting getting done at 2 and dinner with a member from nicholasville which is where my new companion started his mission, and then we shopped in winchester because there isn't a whole lot for stores in beattyville. Saturday: we called a lot of people to see if they were interested and most of them the number either blocked us or was disconnected which was surprising cause most of them had been contacted 2 years ago. Here in Beattyville we go and talk with the EMT's and they feed a dinner on Saturday's. and they are really cool. most of them are big hunters!  also tonight we were called by our branch president, because the amount of people that come is so small its a branch and not a ward here. but he called and asked us to teach Sunday school class, and he also said that the whole branch presidency was sick and half the branch is sick so we might have to cancel church if we can't find someone to go and preside. Sunday: so sunday was a crazy day. we got up and went and unlocked the church and set up the mic and the table for sacrament and a member brought the bread and we blessed the sacrament and two preisthood holders passed it. there were 13 people at church counted us. so 11. it was different. it was a very cool experience and 4 familys are assigned to come to our branch from different cities to make our meeting bigger. but everyone is sick so most of them didn't show. and ive been told that sometimes church gets canceled because of the lack of numbers. or we have sacrament and then are told to go home. its the most laid back church ive ever been to. it was a really cool experience. After church we went and taught a couple that we had found my first day here. and our miles in our car are really low and we are gonna be walking for pretty much this whole month of december because we have to find miles to go to louisville for christmas party that the mission does and to lexinton this coming wednesday for interviews with Mission president. and also we have to go to another area with a senior couple to skype home for christmas because no members in beattyville live close enough with the ability to skype. so itll be interesting.  Oh and we ran over a squirrel and i skinned him out and tanned his hide it looks legit! having some awesome times here in Beattyville can't wait to see what comes this next week! And we live off of a Rail Road Tracks.

Sincerely,

 Elder Durfee  

December 8, 2014

Monday: we went bowling as a district and biked the whole way in the rain and super cold! and we played basketball at the church. super fun playing cutthroat. we got dropped by two of our investigators but we have found a lot this week! :) the work is picking up! Tuesday: we went on an exchange with Tates Creek elders today i was with Elder Caskey for the next days! :) Wednesday: It was a great day with Elder Caskey! we met a lot of new investigators!!! we also met a lot of people that were not ready to listen but they will come around! Thursday: Elder Spaulding did a baptismal interview for the sisters investigator that is getting baptized this coming Saturday!!! :) Friday: We had a zone conference and we listened to Elder Kapiska he is a very powerful!!! i learned so much!! after the conference we went and had lunch as a zone at Hugh Jass Burgers! that is a super good burger shop! after that we were biking to an appointment and saw this guy that was of a different culture and didn't speak any english but he knew the words im lost... and was able to say the street he lived on. and it was the place that we were headed to. so we took him home. and he was a long ways away and he was headed the wrong way!! i felt bad for him and it was in the rain! but he is good now! :) Saturday: we had stake conference! :) Elder Parker presided over it and it was really good!!! i love Elder Parker he is very powerful!! :) Also tonight we were with the zone leaders and Elder Barker is going home tomorrow super sad! but i learned that i and going to Beattyville Kentucky!! i can't wait! it's gonna be a lot of fun! And its a car area just in time for the winter!! and i hear its a huge house that we stay in!!! so i will get you all my new address next Monday! :) Sunday we had Stake Conference it was very inspiring!! Elder Parker was over that as well. and Stake President Krebs he is really cool! i said bye to all of the friends in the Blue Grass ward! I'm gonna miss all of them so much!! :( but I'll do great in Beattyville! :) can't wait! :) Then later that night we went to the church and watched the First Presidency Christmas devotional! it was super good! :) And today monday we went and said good bye to everyone in this area! :) 

Sincerely,

 Elder Durfee

December 1, 2014

So this week was a lot of fun! Tuesday: we did a lot of traveling just finding people to teach. Wednesday: I was in tates creek for an exchange with Elder Lowry and we had a lot of success. we found a couple of new investigators! Thursday: was Thanks Giving!!! it was awesome!! we didnt do any proselyting we hung out with members all day! got fed by two different families so i got fed really good!! and the food was similar to back at home! :) Also in the morning we had president Krebs pick us up and we went to the catholic actua center and prepared food for the needy that aren't as fortunate as others. It was really awesome! we deboned about 12 turkeys. and a lot of potatoes and stuffing. and cranberries! i was a lot of food!!! Friday: we had district meeting and it was really good! i learned so much! Saturday we had lunch with the tates creek elders at hugh jass burgers them are some good burgers!!! Sunday: we had fast sunday because stake conference is this coming sunday! and transfers are this coming tuesday the 9th! so we will see who will be staying and who will be going! We had dinner with a member sunday and i found out that im related to sister herme with my 10th great grandpa on the Durfee side and her 9th generation on her moms side. it was really cool! well im gonna go and play some basketball with the Zone leaders and tates creek and a couple other missionaries. 

Love, 

Elder Durfee