One Year and Easter

Friends and family!!

Hello hello how is everyone doing this wonderful week?! I hope and pray that you all had a happy Easter and remembered the true meaning of Easter. I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and his example to me! I know that he lives and that I will see him one day. I see his hand in my life and in the lives of others every single day. I can't believe it though I hit my one year mark! So weird! I'm already halfway done and it's flying by. Last Monday was an alright day we didn't do much for pday just kinda hung around and played some board games. But we did have a lesson with a less active member.... he loves to skateboard and is kind of a grouchy kid but we shared a nice Easter message with him and
are going to help him come back to church. He really is a good guy just really stubborn.
Tuesday was zone training! I was super nervous for it but it actually went pretty well! Elder Neyman and I presented on how to teach the plan of salvation simply. It went super well! I love zone training but preparing for it is super stressful but it always works out in the end! After zone training I went on exchanges with my buddy Elder Overstreet. I love the guy. We get along really well and have the same
humor and interests! We worked the rest of the day and had no luck :/
but it was good talking to him! We had dinner with my favorite member of this Ward ...Bentley. He is sick! He is going to Utah this upcoming week for conference
Wednesday was interesting I had physical therapy in the morning and it went super well! I'm feeling better but it still takes a lot of work!
But I'll be fine! Then we did some yard work for a lady in the Vienna Ward! It was a great time we mulched and cleaned mold off the side of her house haha it was great! Our appointments fell through that night so we spent a lot of time tracting
Thursday was excellent we had lunch with Ric Tally he is a stud then we went to the office and spent the rest of the day tracting and checking on potentials we were over in Reston and found this lady named Yasmin. We are going to teach her the restoration this week! I'm pumped for it! Friday  was my year mark! March 25! This time last year I was walking
into the Mtc...wow that blows my mind. Time sure is different as a missionary it goes a lot faster for some odd reason. We did service the entire day. We mulched for like 9 hours straight at this mansion in the great falls area. It was hard work but dang fun. Then that night I went with the Tysons Ward elders to another service project
which was demolitions on a basement! It was dang fun! All,sweaty and dirty! I loved it! I also burned my shirt at night with elders
Vasilyev and Rammell! It was weird but a fun time!
Saturday was great!  We had breakfast with the high council brother Jardine he is so awesome I love hearing from him. We also Had lunch with my mission family the Williamsons! I love them! Sister Williamson
is my homie and so is Ronnie. We worked in Reston and tracted even more people.
Sunday was my favorite. Easter Sundays are the best Sundays  every
year. The lessons and talks were great! After church we went back to the Williamsons and had Easter dinner! I loved it!! They are my favorite people here!

I can't believe it has been one year here in Virginia. It's been a blast and an emotional roller coaster but I am so grateful for this opportunity that I have been given to leave home and everything I know to serve the lord. He had given me so much in my life.... I truly cannot repay him. I love serving him and being an instrument in His hands to bring the gospel to these people of Virginia! Today we went
to the city to see the cherry blossoms! It was so awesome! I  I Took a lot of good pictures! Love ya have a great week!!

Week in MClean

Hey Everyone!

How are you all doing this wonderful week?! I can't believe it is another Monday! These weeks are going by super fast. This Friday I will be burning a shirt to celebrate my year mark! I'm so stoked to do it! This past Monday was a good pday we didn't do much just hit up the Tysons mall and played some board games that's all! That night we went
to FHE the sisters and us were the judges of the pies cause it was pie day! It was a lot of fun! Tuesday was a good day we had interviews with President Huntsman. He showed up to our apartment at 9 a.m. And
we traveled with him to all the missionaries apartments in our zone for him to do interviews it was such a cool experience sharing an entire day with president we did that till 6. President gave me some great advice in my interview! Wednesday we had exchanges with the
Bella vista elders so Spanish time for me! We taught several lessons in  Spanish and I can follow along but I cannot speak it to save my life but it was all fun! I met some cool Peruvians and had some good food but I have no idea what it was. We also burned a tie for Elder Picketts 6 month mark! Thursday we had a bunch of random
tasks to do like get an oil change and go to the mission office but that's about it nothing much going on. Friday was a good day Elder Neyman was sick so we stayed in and played Pokemon the whole day hahaha I've gotten into Pokemon...terrible I'm such a nerd. That night
we went to a ward dinner for St Patrick's day it was awesome a member invited his friend but he wasn't interested in learning the gospel!
Saturday was a good day. It was the mega slurpee day! We got slurpees in protein containers it was awesome...I felt so sick from mine...but
we went to Arlington and tried a few people and also met with some members. This week was weird cause we had a lot of fallen through appointments but I know the Lord is still preparing people for me to come across and to help. I love this work even if you are having a hard time it is still true and brings joy. Sunday was a day full of
church meetings and we had stake correlation with president Hall and he invites families around the stake to share their missionary
experiences it was a very spiritual experience. Well sorry this letter is a little boring but I don't have much time! Love you all have a
wonderful week!!!
Elder Routsong

Busy Week

Family!

How are you all doing this week?! My week was pretty eventful and
busy. We worked really really hard and got to see some cool things
happen! I had an experience this morning in my studies where I was
doubting myself and my prayers...as soon as I open the Book of Mormon
I read out of 2 Nephi 32: 9 "But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint;that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that He will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be
for the welfare of thy soul."

We need to pray always! Have a prayer in our hearts not just say a prayer every morning when we wake up and at night before we go to sleep. It was a good reminder that God is looking out for me and giving me answers out of love.

On Monday of last week we didn't really do a whole lot. We went to Burlington coat factory and I bought a sweet pink paisley tie...it looks dang good. We also played football at this park In Franconia.
President and Sister Huntsman even stopped by to say hi! That night after pday we got to spend some time with the Ward for FHE. Tuesday was alright too we had district meeting and we got to know each other
so it was a fun time. We drove to Reston and our appointment fell through so we went to Popeyes with my old pal Elder Vasilyev! I missed spending time with Elder Vasilyev he is a good guy. Right before
dinner we were tracting and met this guy named van powers haha he is
sick! He had met mother Teresa before! As we were talking to him he was basically teaching us the plan of salvation hahah so awesome we
are going to see him later this week. After that we drove to Herndon
and had pupusas with my convert Milton! Milton is a total bro. He is like my little brother. It was good to see him cause it was a hard day for me but hanging out with Milton turned the day around! Wednesday I had physical therapy and it went super well they are helping me out so
much. I walk out every time sore and dead but it is very good for me.
I talked to my doctor about what path to take to get into pt school and I want to do it so badly! Bentley took us to this place called district taco in arlington for dinner. Bentley is sick. He works for an organization to stop Hillary Clinton for being elected. Ha he gave me a "Hillary for prison" sticker hahahah Thursday we had Mlc and got
to hear from president and sister huntsman so that's always a treat.
We also went to institute and had an in depth lesson on the
restoration and church history. Loved it. Friday morning we taught
this guy from the Philippines. His name is Jojo his apartment had nothing in it...he was so humble and so happy though...if we choose to be happy we can overcome our circumstances with ease. We did service for the oakton stake the rest of the day at a mulch drive it was dang
fun. Saturday we helped with a move, taught this kid named Henry who is pretty legit, had a district blitz and taught gabe. It was busy.
Sunday we taught this guy who was smoking weed named Joshua haha it
was funny...

That's about all that happened this week. I've had a lot of times this week were I was feeling down in the dumps but prayer helps! It really does. Thanks to each of you for your examples and support! I hope this
week is great for you!
Love

Transfers

Friends and family!

Hey hey how is everybody doing this lovely week?! I'm doing pretty
good here in northern Virginia! Living in Fair fax is pretty weird.
Fair fax and Arlington are a lot different than Colorado Springs haha it's my first experience living in a big city. Buildings are everywhere and the people are always in a rush. This week we worked pretty hard. So I'll jump right into it!
Last Monday for pday we went to top golf. It was such a good time and the weather was just perfect. After that we played some basketball in Centreville. Typical elder Routsong playing basketball on a pday... I know! That night we went over to a members house in the Oakmarr Ward.
It was the worst dinner ever haha the kids just made fun of me the whole time haha it actually wasn't that bad I just don't want to repeat it. We also to a recent convert Bentley in our Ward to give a blessing to our Ward mission leader. Bentley was so nervous but he is a stud! He has been a member for a year. He is a great example to me of a faithful follower of Christ. On Tuesday we had a good time at
district meetings we all had the opportunity to bare or testimonies.
It was a good experience. The spirit was really strong! We had dinner at Marie's house in Springfield and she is so awesome. She is from Sierra Leone and loves the missionaries. The assistants were there and
we had a great time! We also found out transfers. We figured out Elder Risenhoover will be leaving and I will be getting a new companion. I
was really sad about that cause I only was with Hoover for one transfer. Kinda sucks. Wednesday Elder Risenhoover spent a good amount of time packing up his stuff. We went to Walmart and saw these three
dudes shoplifting. They got arrested! It was so sick! Thursday was a crazy day. We had to wake up super early to work out! Then we drove to Arlington to pick up an elders bike and drove all the way to transfer meeting. Transfers was awesome I always love seeing my missionary
friends! I really missed Elder King I hope we get to be comps one day!
My new companion is Elder Neyman from Provo Utah he went to Timpview high school. He had been out for about 19 months. He is excited to be
in the Langley Ward. After transfers we had a zone meeting and it was awesome we do a little get to know you game and everybody basically goes crazy. It's a fun time. That night we attended institute. I loved it! We studied church history! Friday we spent the whole day driving
basically. Nobody was answering their doors...it was s rough day but we got through it. Saturday was fun though! We went street contacting
in Arlington! People are so weird there I love it! We also had stake missionary breakfast. The stake made us this huge breakfast for like 40 missionaries! It was dang good. President Hall(stake president)
talked to us about the Book of Mormon and how we need to constantly renew out testimonies of it. I loved every minute of it! That night we read Alma 14 with a less active and talked about how we need to cast our burdens to the feet of the savior. It was a great lesson. I was fasting for strength and to find more joy in the work.
I feel so much better after my fast. Seriously the klord cares about what we ask for even if it is that simple... I also bore my testimony in church about Joseph smith and the Book of Mormon. It's the first time where I've bore my testimony two months in a row! Hahaha I hate
going up there. It was a good week! I'm thankful to be here! Have a good one! Love you!