Trey's Sunny adventures in Parma Heights, OH

I went to downtown Cleveland a few weeks ago to see if I could get a souvenir and I saw a shirt... "Welcome to Sunny Cleveland" .... needless to say, I was thoroughly disgusted. That's not a knock off of anywhere dear.... AND to add insult to injury, we got snow, Lake Effect temperatures are REAL people!!!
 

So on to the real world, which is the mission ;) This mission has been changing me and helping me become more like who I  was in the pre-mortal life before this and better yet who I need to become in the future. My companion is an awesome missionary and an example to me in many ways. Being a good companionship is tough and even more important is both of us becoming great missionaries together. It is hard, rough, tough, difficult, and frustrating, BUT THAT'S THE POINT!!!!! This is such an AMAZING EXPERIENCE!!  Elder Jarvis hates sitting still, always is looking to better himself, and hates talking about his feelings. all things remind me of DAD in his early years! He is always planning things down to the T and hates when something doesn't go according to plan. He was a guide in the rocky mountains of Alberta Canada and northern Brittish Columbia in the yukon territories for bear, deer, moose, caribou, geese, stone sheep, mountain goats, fishing, etc. (still reminds me of dad. I on the other hand haven't been the best at planning or leading in the way that I usually see a leader. I have always known how to follow a well made plan. Here's my life's experience: Dad tells TJ and Tucker, then they tell me and Ty. We were the grunt men and we knew how to follow the lead of good leaders and get it done. With Elder Jarvis' and my combination we have been able to strengthen each others weaknesses. I know that the Lord inspired President Vellinga who knew to pair us together and where we need to be.  He is always GO GO GO and I help him calm down, see the picture and just find JOY as we do important little things!! We REALLY CONNECT IN THESE WAYS: Elder Jarvis said he wants to blow up all video games...DAD! He Loves UFC...TJ! Played football as a middle linebacker...Tucker! He's hilarious... TY! This has been and will continue to be an amazing experience.

 

I have felt the Saviors love for others and I get to represent Him as I help and serve them, and in turn I feel His love for me. I know that this gospel and church is the church that god has restored through a prophet. it's not true for me, it's not true for anyone SPECIFICALLY, because it is just true PERIOD!!! THIS IS IT PEOPLE!!!!!!!!

Weather changes here have really only changed one thing... now, I REALLY don't want to run. Running is TERRIBLE!!!! but I need to. Elder Jarvis and I were running this morning and on our way back up the long, slow, steep accent on satan's hill number 2 (the reason why I don't like running) I heard and saw Elder Jarvis scream like a 12 year old boy as he struggles through puberty and leap over something in a manor that reminded me of a gazelle. Turns our there were 3 baby racoons and one hissed at him like the racoon on "Elf"!! it was HILARIOUS!!! I was too out of breath to really laugh then,  but now that I have regained full capacity, Ha ha, soooo funny. LOL!! It made running today worthwhile!

As we have been biking and the temperature has been dropping fast, we have gone from short sleeve shirts to 4 layers in a matter of 6 or so days. and regrettably..... I have had to resort to wearing the ear warmers! A brother who is coming back to activity made fun of them and immediately asked if my mom got them for me. My reply was in the affirmative and then he said, "You gotta promise me that you will wear everything that your mothers send you! They do it because they love you!" What a guy!! Meeting with him is a blast! We have been running around meeting with a ton of Less-Actives (LA's) and have made that our main focus for right now! We have 350ish families in our Stake and only 32% are active...... my compaion and I are determined to change that as much as the Lord wills us by the  time we leave. In doing so we have almost crashed 6 times.... it's become a regular occurrence.

 

Anyway, this week was so sad and exciting! Sad because our investigator Paula is moving to Idaho Falls!! She is engaged to Blaine Pack and he is baptizing her there pretty sure. She is awesome and  I'm really going to miss her but I get to visit her when I'm back at school in Idaho!! Exciting because... I am happy to announce that I have gained 20 pounds and am holding steady at 170 lbs. this is a huge accomplishment. don't worry it's healthy :) I'm not fat.... yet!!!

Fight the fight, stay the course, keep the Faith!

Love Ya! 

Elder Trey Toolson

 

 

 

 

Trey's weekly from Parma Heights

 

Hello my people! How's life? That's Good.... I hope!! Well it should be good cause it's all so GOOD! 

Study the Good Word of Christ and you will see and Know for yourself!

Anyway this week was great!! We Got a hold of a less-active man in our ward and he has had a change of heart and is really wanting to get back into church! I was wondering about him. He once said he was going to "SUE us if we ever stopped by again" but obviously we kept stopping by! :)  Ha ha... I mean come on, we are missionaries! The week before last he came to the 1st hour of church, this week he stayed for the 1st AND and 2nd and next week he committed to come to the whole 3 hours!! Then there was another less active who, with his son came to church who then they picked up a different lass active on their way to church!! Then ANOTHER less active who has been committing then falling through for the past few...ummm... months, FINALLY MADE IT TO CHURCH!!! I WAS SO EXCITED!!!! IT WAS AMAZING TO SEE!!!   Never say never and never give up...exclamation point.

We have been doing a few family nights with the Lowry's. I love this member family... the little girl putting on the armor of God reminds me of Tiara so much :) They have a son that's struggling a little to know things for himself and I am trying to be a good example for him the way Elder Springer was for us Toolson boys! Hopefully the spirit will touch him.

 

Aside from the less active work we have been teaching Joel and his family as well! They are awesome!! Alex is 16 and he is really excited for the youth activities coming up! Kelly is doing awesome and has read the introduction to the Book of Mormon!! WHAT!? SO COOL!! I know that they can feel the spirit working in their lives more and more as they do these things the lord is asking them to do!! We also met with a woman named Julie. Julie's mom just recently passed away form cancer and she has felt so alone through this whole thing. I told her about toby and grandma. the spirit was so strong in that room as we discussed about eternal life and forever families. It is incredible how much love you feel for someone when you are mourning with them, and comforting them. I know that our message about the gospel and teachings of Jesus Christ can and will help because I have felt it in my life! I love my trials! I love my pains! not because of how I feel during them, but becasue of how  am able to turn to the Lord and now feel as I use those experiences to strengthen others!

This week is short but it ws incredible!! I love these people that I am blessed to be working with! And these people I am working for! I know that this church is true!! It is the church of the living God! I say these things as a representative of Jesus Christ!

Fight the fight, stay the course, keep the faith!

Love You,

Elder Trey Toolson III

 

PS... We met with Paula's sister but our boundaries changed and she is in the other elders area now but same ward! Demra is her name and she said that I was the one with an accent... HA!!!! yeah right! she is awesome though! Elder Clement and Shin will do well with her and the family. Elder Clement would definitely be in "my boys" of the mission! He's good to the bone.

Mission Tour with Elder Bowen
I just couldn't stay too serious!

Trey's Conference Report

WOW!

 

Conference was incredible "exclamation point"!! (such a good talk) ex-BYU QB was my man! So many great talks really. A new Elder who isn't used to the missionary regimen was out cold on his companion's shoulder and his comp had no idea what to do!! It was so funny! I tried offering him some paper to take notes so he could get more out of general conference or as much as I was getting... but he'd fall asleep again. This was his first Sunday in the field, so we still got time to reform him :) So guess what I had for breakfast on Conference morning?!? A breakfast sandwich (egg, ham, cheese on bagel) which was nice... but it wasn't quite sausage-bake, french toast custard and cinnamon crumb cake with a gallon of quickness chocolate milk that was hand shaken.

I GOT TO PLAY THE PIANO!!! not for any special occasion but I got to just play for just a few minutes but those minutes were sweet! I had a wonderful time sitting and playing and listening to the other elders. We have ANOTHER set of missionaries in our ward. 4 SETS!!! HOLY COW!

The work has been picking up and Elder Jarvis and I are ready to run with this! We are re-doing how we do things and are doing our best to leave it better how we found it! Just like how I've always been taught! Our schedule is getting more and more packed but I wouldn't want it any other way!! Elder Jarvis and I have really been hitting it off and we are starting to come to the realization that our time as companions is slowly winding down. NOOO!!! but I have learned a ton from him and I hope he has learned as much from me as I have from him! We still have 6 weeks!!! LEZ DO WORK!!

Fight the fight, stay the course, keep the Faith!

Love
Elder Toolson

Trey - Quick Step in Parma!

 

 We have really been stepping it up this week!! We found 3 more investigators! We are doing our best to do all the Lord needs us to!! We made a goal to teach 20 lessons this week!! good things are coming!! WE CAN FEEL IT!! Because they have been, so let's KEEP it coming! :)
 

So... I keep talking about Paula. Well she also has a sister who has never wanted much to do with the church. On our way from a lesson we Missed our turn even though I was watching it come & go the whole time... which was a little weird, I was thinking, "We'll just go up the next street and turn there." My comp and i realize that there is a hill that we go up and because of the missed turn, we get to go up more of the hill, but then we both thought and felt that there is a purpose for this. as we ride by this family sitting on the porch one lady screams out, "Do you guys know Paula?!" I hit the brakes and sked if they were asking about the Paula we knew. she said, "Yeah ... I'm her sister.  I recognized you guys from facebook!" (WWHHAATTTTTT!!????) After talking a bit she asked if we could go over the next day... We left being so grateful for guidance of the Holy Ghost and thinking WOW, This is the sister that wanted nothing to do with the church!?!? Paula is helping her family come to the realization that there is more to this life then previously thought and that this church is it, the truth and there is joy in it! IT WAS SO AMAZING!!

   As you can see in the pictures with the bikes, there was more

bike trouble this week.

Actually almost every week... ha ha ha! 



We decided God is telling me that I need to open a bike shop.  :)

I know that this is where I need to be and I am loving it!! GO OHIO!
 

Fight the fight, stay the course, keep the Faith.

Much Love,

Elder Toolson III