Baptism - July 2, 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,
So this week was amazing and Sunday was so amazing I don't think there are words to explain it! haha! but i can try.  So first off in this week we got to meet President Vellinga and his wife and daughter.  They are great and even though he is different from President Sorensen but I am really excited to work with him. Also, that day there were tornados in the area we were planning on being in so if it wasn't for divine intervention, your son would have been in a sweet storm!! haha! Then Sunday we had a great meeting.  A new family came to church that we just found and they loved it and are really excited to come back.  There is a dad and a mom and three daughters.  They have been looking for a church to get their family into.  The meeting was amazing.  The Branch talked a lot about how their family came closer together because of the church and the spirit was so strong.  Then one of the less active YSA guys we are working with got up and shared his testimony about missionary work and made pretty much the whole Branch cry because he is coming back into activity after years of making not so great decisions.  And then last of all, we had Robert's baptism! It was so amazing and there aren't words to explain it.  He is great and an amazing convert. He hasn't had his confirmation yet because it has to be in Sacrament meeting.
Well, enough about my week haha! how has it been going for all of you? We are in a pretty bad drought here as well but we got hit by a big storm yesterday and actually had to go inside because it was getting so bad but they need the rain here so it was good.  That's too bad to hear about the vandalism, but hey, a new building... I would be happy haha.  Well I don't know what else to write other than I had a great week and I am very happy.  I hope everyone is doing great and hope you get some rain... I heard there have been some bad fires out there.  I hope everything goes well. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful week. Also HI DAD!!! haha! It's good to hear from you! Enjoy your sleep!
Love,
Elder Ryan Furtney

June 25, 2012

Hey Mom and Dad,
So I just wanted to write a quick note for you all.  This upcoming week Robert will be baptized so we are really excited for it. Also, we are teaching a few families but not we are not too far along with them yet -- we will see how it goes. It should be a great week this week. We are getting our new Mission President on Friday.  We will see him that day as well, so it should be a good report next week. Also, Mom, thank you for the ties I love them both... they were great gifts because I love ties haha. Well, hope everything is going great and I will email you next week.
Love,
Elder Ryan Furtney

June 18, 2012

Hi Mom,

 Well, we had a great week here in Bryan, Ohio. Although I have had a cold the whole week and now I am very tired.  We have a few more new investigators and we are seeing miracles. We are teaching a very sweet Catholic couple who went to Temple Square and loved it -- so we will see where that goes. Also, we have two new young couples we found by tracting.  One couple was so eager to go get a Book of Mormon that she went to a book store to buy one and then called us because it cost too much and found out we give them out for free! haha. We are also still preparing for Robert's baptism and he is really excited.  Yes, I am very happy and loving my service, and also learning so much.  The new mission president starts on June 29th.

 Elder Hapairai and I are doing great and enjoying the small town of Bryan, Ohio.  We are just trying to find as many people to teach as we can so we don't have to tract anymore! :)  We also got a new branch presidency so I think it's going to make this work move.  Oh Elder Hapairai doesn't play much soccer, but he plays rugby and surfs as well. Don't worry Mom he wants to live on the main land haha.

 Well, I love you all and hope you are all doing great. Hope everything is going great and I will pray for everyone. Love you all.

Love,

Elder Ryan Furtney

 

Dear Father,

 Happy Fathers Day! I know it's a day late but the thought counts haha. Well I'm glad to hear that you have dropped in age this past week and now you are only just 39 that is great!! It must be a lot easier to get around and not be so sore all the time :) haha. I do wish I could have been there for your birthday, but, hey, time is flying by here so soon enough I will be back! Well Ohio is also having the great drought that Utah is having.  We have had maybe one storm, if that.  It's really dry here and probably all of the crops are going to die; and not to mention the grass which is already dead! It looks like the desert here except they don't have sprinklers so everything just dies.

 Well, luckily my shoes are holding up and they are amazing but they are starting to get a lot of wear and tear on them but they should last... Especially if I stay in big areas like Bryan where I have to drive everywhere but, if i get a walking area, you may need to get new shoes for me... haha just kidding, they should make it still. So the new president will be here June 29th with his family and then he will be in charge. We just had President Sorensen's farewell tour on Friday and it was so amazing.  It's definitely going to be a change, but it will be good.

 Well, its great to hear from you and to hear the news about the family. I pray for everyone every night and hope that they feel my prayers. The work is going forth here and we are seeing a lot of progress in this area. I love you and hope that you have a great week and stay safe while you work so hard!

 Love,

 Elder Ryan Furtney

 

 

 

 

June 11, 2012

Hi Mom and Dad,
 Things are going great here in Ohio and it has been a great summer so far. Just working everyday in the dry heat! YAY at least it is dry and not wet but we got some rain today so humidity will be here soon most likely. We are teaching a few people at the moment and still getting Robert prepared for his baptism. He is doing great and is still progressing toward his baptism.
 So it sounds like Dad's party was great. Those pictures you tried to send didn't work by the way but I hope to see some pictures soon. So that is so crazy to hear about Arlee! I bet that she is so excited! So I will have two new faces to meet including Arlee's new husband as well even though he is not too new anymore.  Sounds like it was a great party for everyone, and Dad with an iPad... hmm, I don't know how I feel about that one... haha now he can be like everyone else and have his scriptures on his iPad and his talk... haha.
 Well, I don't have to much time again because our library is closed down so we are using just one computer. So it's great to hear about everything happening back home and I hope everyone is doing great. Love you all
Love,
Elder Ryan Furtney
P.S.- Jesse you will have a lot of work to do now... just saying from experience! haha just kidding you will do great.

June 4, 2012

Hi Mom and Dad,

 I am doing so great out here... but very tired that is for sure. My birthday was great.  We had a great day and I enjoyed the day a lot. Also, I got the box and I did enjoy it a lot as well. I went and sprayed all the silly string all over the back yard. haha. So Dad is turning 60 huh? He must love all the attention that he is getting for that haha.  Yep, Lexa sent me an email all about the party so that will be really fun.  And now I will be very jealous about the cinniamon rolls.

It's great to hear that Eric that is doing great and I wish I could be there but I am enjoying it here, so whatever.  And it's great to hear about the Calloways and I bet they are doing great.  Tell them hi for me and that i am doing great. Well I don't have much time right now but I am doing great.  The weather is great and not humid yet. I love it. Oh, also, I got to go to Kirtland this week for a leadership training meeting and we went to the Joseph Smith home that the church recently bought about a month ago.  It was the first meeting in there since they were driven out of Kirtland.  Then we went to the Shagrin River where Sidney Rigdon gave a sermon and baptized 30 or so people. It was an amazing day I would have to say. I love how much church history is here in Ohio.  It really is so cool to be right where they walked and lived.

Well, we are still teaching Robert and he is preparing for his baptism.  Also, we are teaching a couple of other people and they are doing good. We are getting more investigators to church and it's great to see success. Well, I love you all and hope you all have great week. Love you all

Love,

Elder Ryan Furtney

May 29, 2012

Hey Mom,
Thank you for the birthday wish and I am sure it will be a good one.  I can't believe it's already here... I'll probably just forget that is my birthday anyway but the Lemons are feeding us tomorrow just for that reason so i won't be able to forget for too long.  Also, I won't forget to tell the Lemons about how we are related, in a way. haha.  Ya, that should be fine about buying Eric's car. I will just have to learn how to drive a stick when I get home, but, hey, it can't be that hard, at least it can't be as hard as learning how to be a missionary.  So actually I'll be in Bryan for 7 weeks just because the new President is coming in and they want to give him a couple weeks before he has to do transfers.  Then the transfers will be in 5 weeks. Yes, I will be here for Robert's baptism and confirmation.  I am really excited and we are doing all we can to help him prepare and be ready for everything.  Well, thank you for everything and I love you all.
Love,
Elder  Ryan Furtney