Safely Back in Murfreesboro

Hey everyone!


I made it safely back to Murfreesboro! :) It has been a very long/hectic week though, running around trying to find out who's who and figuring out where everyone lives.

I am glad I am back because I sort of know the area, so it wasn't too hard, but it has been a pretty stressful week.

Transfers were good, the whole mission was there! The second time ever that our whole mission has been together. It was cool to get to see all of my past companions...well the ones who were still out. :).

We are in our apartment..which bytheway feels like a prison :( I will send ya'll a picture).
We have a mold problem in our bathroom :/. It is disgusting! We are looking for apartments to move into...AGAIN..except hopefully I will be able to move in this time, instead of getting transferred.
Anywho, my companion is Elder Lawrence, he is from Seattle, Washington. He's a goofy kid, but we have fun together, which is important, and we work hard.

Everyone in the ward kinda remembers me since I was there for like 4 days...it was good to also see everyone in the M'Boro ward. They all remembered me...which is good :) It only has been 3 months but it seems like much longer...That ward felt like leaving home when I left it. I got to see Ariana (recent convert) and she was excited to see me as was all the other members there....it definitely feels like coming back home, which is nice.

I love this area so much! Not too bad of a week for not knowing where anyone lives..only taught 16 lessons, but we did alot of other things in the apartment, getting it clean/ working on a map and continuing on updating the area book.

I am no longer District Leader but I am Senior Companion...it is kind of nice to be able to take a break from leadership. Sometimes I wish I could still be DL so I can go on exchanges in M'Boro, but at least I can see the members on Sundays.

The ward here is good, much smaller then Bellevue. Speaking of Bellevue, Taylors baptism is on Friday morning/wedding, and I am happy to report that I got permission from President to be able to go to that :) I am way excited, hopefully Elder Dean will be able to be there to.

This week should be somewhat normal, we know the area better, and have met most of the members. We also get to go to institute, which the teacher here is AWESOME! Brother Halverson..I think he is about if not better than John Bytheway. It was a way good lesson on Wed night. It's a good way to get to meet some of the YSA since we cover MTSU campus we can go.

Glad to hear the move is going well...Hope it continues to go well..Andrew did write me and tell me the good experiences that he is having. It's good to hear from him.

Everything is going well here. Oh, I finally got a picture of Elder Ragle and his wife! He looks way goofy in the picture...kinda freaky actually, but that's just the way he is. I miss him. I'll have to forward it to ya. Hope everything is going well for everyone.

Oh, for my 100% commitment, its coming along very well, some bumps here and there, but I am progressing. I got to Alma chapter 30 this morning. I am blessed to be able to have an hour to study the gospel every morning, it definitely makes a difference in your day. I admit that there have been times on my mission where I didn't do my studies, but I can tell, and also members and everyone else can tell if you are obedient, and obedience is definitely the way to go. I have learned that. I am truly thankful for the gospel in my life, and the time that I have it to share with others. I couldn't think of a better place to be...It definitely is hard, but WAY worth it! My testimony had definitely been strengthened out here serving a mission. The gospel truly does bring joy to others, I have seen it change me, and other people that I have taught. It is the greatest joy in life. I heard this saying from Brother Halverson on Wednesday night "The gospel makes bad people good, and good people better." That is so true. I can't say thank you enough mom for taking the time to listen to the missionaries, when they knocked on your door...It has changed my life for the better. I have been lucky enough to have that "mighty change of heart" and want to share it with everyone I see :) :) :) :) Thanks for your love and support I LOVE YOU ALL!

Love ya'll....keep doing what your doing.

-Elder Edgell

Back to the Boro

Howdy everyone!


Well, transfer info came late Saturday Night! And I got some info you probably want to hear. I am getting transfered, and Elder Dean is also! Meaning our area is being "White Washed". For those of you who don't know missionary lingo that means when both Elders get transfered two new ones are place in who know little to nothing about the area. Anyways I am going back to Murfreesboro...well kind of. I will be in the Stones River Ward. I am really excited. My new companion is Elder Lawrence. I am white washing into that area so that should be fun :). I'm super excited...Not sure if im still DL..but when I left M'Boro, Stones River was turned into the DL area, but I will find out tommorow when I get there.

I am kind of dissapointed about leaving everyone, espically our Baptism/wedding next week, and will get to miss out on our new apartment but I have been to the Stones River apt, and it is pretty nice. It has a washer and dryer so I am excited to get one back again. :).

We both plan on being back for the baptism next week, hopefully we can find a ride down to Cumberland from the Boro. Elder Dean is going to Cookeville, also is white washing the area, he's pretty excited as am I, but we both will miss Bellevue ALOT. I love it here, but I know it is where the Lord wants me to be, so I look forward to a new companion and a new area, especially excited about being back in the Murfreesboro area.

This past week was a good one, new people were found to teach so that's always a good thing :). That's that.

Other than transfer information nothing else exciting is going on other than Taylor's baptism next week.

Well, that green bag couldn't make it through 3 missions :( sad day, it almost did...but the zipper fell off of it and it's all messed up :(.

Anyways glad Andrew got his box...hope he enjoy's it when he gets it...

Glad you had a good time at the beach, definitely wish I could of been there, but have more important things to do, such as giving people eternal life. :) which is always a good thing to do. :)

Umm I don't have the phone on me right now. I'll send you a letter with the info this week, when I get settled into my new area. I realized last night that I am going to be a pro packer by the time im done with my mission...somehow got everything into one suit case..there is still alot of stuff that I need to pack though.

Hope everyone has a good week, Next week I'll be emailin from the Boro again :). and I finally don't have early church..so I don't have to wake up at 5 everymorning for early morning meetings, that will be nice.

Till next week love yall and have a good week.

Love ya'll :) :)

-Elder Edgell

Happy Belated Independence Day

"Howdy Edgell clan, and whoever else reads these things!
Hope everyone who went to the beach enjoyed it...wish I could of been there, but I have more important things to do out here in TN.

Our 4th was okay, had a really good sabbath day. Actually did more resting than work, it was kind of a half P-Day.

We got to watch a little bit of the capitol 4th concert/ fireworks at a members house, so that was our little way of celebrating. There of course was alot of parties going on. We were going to go downtown to contact in the afternoon, and see all the concerts that were going on, but we ran out of time to make it down there. There was also a ton of fireworks going on at our apartment complex so we went out and got to watch those. It was cool, some really good fireworks...because all the "illegal" ones that are illegal in VA aren't illegal here, the ones that shoot up in the air, so there were some good ones.

Other than that it was a good one. :)

Oh, Sunday was also my 14th month mark!!!! holy cow! Can't believe how fast its going. Only 10 more months left. Say some prayers that it will go a little bit slower, and tell Andrew to stop growing up :) and tell him I say happy birtthday!

Taylor and her boyfriend were able to make it on Sunday, thanks for your extra prayers :). We are eating over there tonight and teaching her.

Everything is still good to go for her baptism/wedding. We actually found out at our last visit that she's only 17! She is way mature for her age. She is turning 18 on the 23rd. Nuts! But we are excited for her. She reminds me alot of Ariana (RC in M'Boro). Teaching is going well, and she loves everything, I can't wait till I get to see them sealed in the temple next July or August.

Anyways, we have a few more people that we are going to start to teach this week, and are excited about it. Lessons were down a bit last week, only got 25...I say down only because we have been averaging around 30-32 lessons a week, but looks like this week is going to be a good week.

We had Interviews early this morning. They were really good. I am now offically a certified teacher in the mission. We have this thing called CDP(C-Commitment, D-Doctrine, P-Principle). We had to teach a lesson to the assistants and get above a 70% to pass, and Elder Dean and I got a 85% out of 100, still need to work on a few things, but we are definitely unified in our teaching, which I have been blessed with a good companion all my mission.

Had a good talk with president, about how commited I am. Lots of improvment is needed, but I am looking forward to see the changes that I am going to make to be 100% committed, and not only 85% commited. It was really good though, I think I needed some good motivation to get me going again. I have been slacking in a few things, but I definitely learned alot this morning with President. My hair actually grew enough where it doesn't look as short as it did when I first cut it last Monday.

Oh good news...We are moving!!! We get to move out of the ghetto :) Woot woot, so hopefully no more guns get pulled out on us :), but thats everywhere in TN here.

We are moving into Bellevue. The heart of our area. They are really nice apartments, almost brand new and updated...and we get a washer and dryer!!! That will be a nice change...if I get to stay, since transfer calls are on Saturday. But they are really nice, we are moving on the 23rd of July, well that's when we can move in, and that day will be hectic with the baptism/wedding, so we are moving on the 24th..We are really excited :). So looks like I will be moving too. :) Well, I think that's all from down here in the South. Hope all is well.

Love ya'll !!!!!!
-Elder Edgell

P.S. HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREW!!!!!
LOVE YOU!"