Annapolis, MD - November 30, 2015

Thanksgiving was so awesome. We ate with a member family and had good old fashioned turkey with a super long table. I didn't know them too well because they live far away on bikes, but we got pretty close. And we had really good conversation and I had a lot of fun.

One of our investigators was baptized and it was awesome. So we got to the church four hours early to fill up the font, and while it was filling we set up ate and studied. Then a member gave a musical number and needed me to play the piano for her and it was like six pages! But I did surprisingly pretty good for only running through it three times. It was a miracle. Then the font wasn't filling up fast enough and so we had to use pots pans and (clean) garbage cans to fill up water and we barely made it in time. He was ecstatic and so happy. He's realized family and God are important. I took pictures, I have quite a few now I need to send.

I've really gotten into reading the Book of Mormon and the Bible and I started a list with thoughts on favorite scriptures and then doctrinally important scriptures for just the LDS church. I study tons of stuff, but I learned I'm kind of obsessed with the Apostasy and the need for the Restoration. I have a lot of scriptures to support it. I've actually been reading a ton of scriptures when I can. I never really studied like I do now.

I haven't been hit by a car yet. Elder Larsen did and it messed up his bike. He's a good missionary and we get along. I'm excited for all the future people we just found and  to be able to teach them.

Oh I forgot to tell you about our new district leader. He's from Atlanta, Georgia. I went on exchanges with him. I didn't know we were exchanging so I planned to bike really far that day and he was not down.

We're teaching this guy who is a keyboard player for like a jazz band. He's crazy nice and boy does he have swag.

I love you,

Elder Ressler

Annapolis, MD - November 23, 2015

I think the chord or reader are broken for the camera or I would have sent pictures today. If you could send new ones that would be cool. I've tried a lot I'm sorry.

One of our investigators is getting baptized this Saturday. I'm super excited. 

Thanksgiving is going to be fun. We get to play football with the ward. We are eating with a family I don't know too well. but they are having turkey they said. Sorry, I don't have tons of time to write today.

So real quick, we had a Baptist funeral in our church basically because of the members family being Baptist. The choir was exciting and the preacher's were loud and got really into it. There was a ton of participation too. Then we had a ton of fried chicken for the dinner.

Elder Ressler

Annapolis, MD - November 16, 2015

I'm sorry I had to buy another rear light and my bike light fell off so now I only have a cheap combo one. We  biked so much on this last week we've been cranking it and I more or less had the flu and kept riding a bunch.

I think we'll have a good Thanksgiving dinner. The members are so kind to feed us dinners. We've gotten fed a ton by members.

This week has been awesome. So we taught the word of wisdom to one of our investigators who has drank coffee for his whole life, like six cups a day. He sincerely believes Joseph Smith is a prophet and that there must be a reason for life. He didn't even question it. He drinks hot water or juice in a dark cup so it looks like coffee. On top of that the Book of Mormon helps him so much.

Another of our investigators has been coming to just sacrament meeting a lot but has rescheduled for the past two weeks to meet with us. She kind of seems to believe all religion, but I've been following up on her Book of Mormon reading and she's been reading a lot.

I know Maryland's the place for me too. I honestly love it here. We've done tons of service this week; from helping these random neighborls move to digging up a member's weeds. I think they have the coolest state flag  too. I'm going to miss Thanksgiving and Christmas at home.

Elder Ressler

Annapolis, MD - November 9, 2015

Oh Mom how I love you and miss you're cooking! I made some taco meat and realized we had no more tortillas so I made up taco spaghetti. It’s really good, try it. Tell Grandma Ressler happy birthday! I love her a lot. There is an Amish market down here with super good gummy bears and it sounds a lot like Roots. Tell Grandma and Grandpa Ressler I went to the temple visitor center and looked for them. The temple is so tall. It’s the tallest temple.

Thanks for the quote. Hey could you send some Family Home Evening stuff? I can’t remember if you did and did you send an allen wrench?

It's been cold here today and yesterday, but last Friday was 77 degrees while it was snowing in Utah. I wish I could listen to Christmas music, but I can't listen to it because were on bikes. I'm really excited for Christmas but I'm really going to miss that good Ressler Christmas and Lord of the Rings.

Sadie will do awesome at basketball try-outs. Halloween was awesome and then we got an extra hour of sleep. I loved it, I'm not going to lie. I went on an exchange with one of my favorite elders and it was a blast. We got soaking wet and he has been in a car forever because he’s a zone leader. We have a new zone leader in Annapolis named Elder Singleton who replaced Elder Vandeur veur who is one of my closest elders and I miss him a lot. Elder Singleton is really awesome. He is really humble and is seriously one of the most dedicated missionaries. My trainer and I are pretty tight. We've gotten a lot closer since I started my mission. Elder Larsen is just a really hard worker.

One of the member families was playing Monopoly when we stopped by and it made me think of that last little bit before I left. I'm pretty sure we'll all end up being millionaire business people because of playing Monopoly. No way, Dad stopped eating ice cream?! What did he eat?! Haha jk.

We saw the sites last week and I took a few pictures. Oh man, tell Mom I was planning on sending pictures but I forgot to bring the card reader! Ask Brendon to tell me how to use it. It was weird last time. What port do I put it in? Mostly, we play basketball, it’s a blast. Our area is actually a pretty nice area. Most of the people are super tight and respectful to us.

Oh funny story. One night I was so tired I fell asleep giving the prayer out loud with Elder Larsen and he said he waited for like 20 seconds thinking I was pondering what to say.

Love,

Elder Ressler

Annapolis, MD - November 2, 2015

One of my favorite elders a zone leader is getting transferred and my district leader who I was also really close with. I'm really glad to stay in Annapolis and still have Elder Larsen. I have a ton of work still. Hey I started listening to my music during emails like Studio Ghibli. Tell Brendon brown hymnbook is money. I love Peruvian chicken there are 2 or 3 restaurants here Dad. We have to go there. Maryland will be much easier to visit again. They have a really good Amish market here near Annapolis. Grandma Ressler would love it.

Oh we had a cool experience. A guy we had a return appointment whose wife just died said he didn't have the time but then I remembered how much he loved talking about his tractors so I asked him about them. He took us around back and showed us the tractors, then he let us in and we had a really spiritual lesson with him. Then sad story, an investigator has terminal cancer and so we don't know how much he'll be able to meet with us. I want you to know I'm doing my best out here.

We went to the temple visitor center on Sunday with an investigator. And we have another investigator who tried to meet four times with us this week but we could only have three visits. He rescheduled a serious rotator cuff surgery because he didn't want it to interfere with his baptism. It's not as crazy as a buddy of mine in my zone. His investigator punched his best friend in the face because he was making fun of the church.

I don't want it to snow. Oh I'm staying in Annapolis on bikes this transfer. For Halloween we all played dodge ball at the church as a zone it was a blast. I have so much candy it's not even funny.

I know this mission is already changing me. I'm learning to be kinder to everyone even in my thoughts. Hey, I gave myself my first hair cut, its super gnarly.

With love,

Elder Ressler