1st Week

Mother,
I am doing great! My companion, Elder Olaveson, is from Idaho and is a blast. He talks to almost everyone and I am starting to pick it up. It's something I never thought I would be afraid of but it's pretty intimidating. We have contacted a few people on the streets that we are meeting with and I am sooo excited!
We had a baptism on Sunday! Ramphis is from Jamaica and he is a cook. I only taught him one lesson but he really gets it. I could tell that the elders teaching him before were awesome. We talked about faith, coincidentally, and he has a great understanding of it. He definitely has a lot of faith. After he got dunked he told Elder O that he felt really good. It is pretty awesome that I got to see this right off the bat.
We met with Carlos and Samantha, a young couple in their 20's, and had a great lesson on the Restoration. They were both just staring at their little girl who is a few months old. They were really receptive and they kept saying they want to set an example for their little girl. It was amazing to see how much they love her. At the end I invited them to be baptized and they said yes. It was pretty cool because they seemed pretty excited. They came to church the next day all dressed up and it turns out Carlos already knows one of the members of the branch so they have a friend.
One person we met on the street is named Pedro. We started teaching him on Friday and it turned out that his twin brother was just up the street. We got the opportunity to teach both of them and they loved it. They agreed to be baptized and I'm super excited.
Saturday night we rapped with some guys on the street. I schooled them...

We don't actually share the apartment with anyone!
Anyway, I love you and I'll talk to you next week.
Your missionary,
Elder Engelman

Arrival to the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission

This week Sister Schaefermeyer and I have had the thrill of welcoming your son to the Pennsylvania Philadelphia Mission.  He has arrived safely and we have enjoyed becoming acquainted with him.  Yesterday, Elder Joseph Richard Engelman was assigned his first companion and trainer, Elder Alexander R. Olaveson

Onward to Philadelphia

It has been great! I have learned way more than I thought was possible. One of my companions found this scripture that says, "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." He related it to Christ and how much he treasures us. Pretty awesome, right? His name is Elder Lenzinger and he's from Sacramento. Awesome guy. He has the best one-liners I've ever heard. SUPER FUNNY. My other campanion is from Utah and is incredibly nice. He snowboards and skis. Oh, and he is super buff and plays lacrosse. I got make the D.L.

Mission Training Center

February 12th, 2013

The MTC has been hard but really rewarding. I have been made a District Leader and it is really hard. I have seriously learned way too much. Every day I go to bed with my mind destroyed with the knowledge my teachers have given me. It is crazy because I like it.

February 12, 2012