Marmf August 22, 2016

Hello hello!

Everyone I hope this week went well for You! This week was really
tough on me but the end of the week made it all worth it. God retaught
an important lesson to me this week. It was unfortunate but it had to
happen! Before I dive into this week I wanted to tell kari and Kayla
how proud I am of you for starting back at school this week! Kayla uvu
is such a great place! You are going to have so much fun there. I
can't wait to be in the same school as you again! I have the best
sisters ever! The weather has been savage here the last 2 months. High
humidity and high heat. It's crazy. We are working hard though and
trying to make things happen in sterling park. I'm really starting to
love the members of this Ward. On Monday of last week we went to my
favorite place ever....top Golf. The lady that works at the desk
always recognizes me haha. I'm getting pretty good dad! We have to go
golfing now when I come home. That night it rained really hard so we
walked to a less actives house and had a lesson with him. He is a pile
and won't come to church but we are making progress with him. His kids
aren't baptized so we want to get the whole family involved with the
church. It's just a tricky situation. We walk so much! Tuesday I was
on exchanges with elder Marshall! He is a stud. All our appointments
cancelled right in our faces. We walked 16 miles tracting and trying
to find people. It was hard. Marshall and I were dead. Wednesday we
did about the same we tracted for hours and hours and hours. We taught
a couple people but nothing too miraculous. I was being very impatient
cause things were not going the way I liked. We were looking for
potentials for the last couple minutes of the night. Then it started
to pour rain like crazy...we biked 12 miles home in the pouring rain.
It was so dang fun!! Hahah super dangerous cause it was a very bad
thunderstorm too. But awesome. Thursday was full of tracting and
tracting Hahahah that's all we did this week. Friday and Saturday was
straight knocking. Man people's hearts are very hard it's sad. We had
dinner with a less active family and they are super cool we taught
them and they are really wanting to return back to activity. We hope
and pray they will. Saturday we had dinner with the Isbells. They are
the best. A shooter family and I can't wait for dad to meet them
hahaha. But Sunday was the best day for sure. We had church and a
random investigator shows up and wants to learn more. His name is
almumy. Then we went to see the Isbells and they bought us backpacks
for our work. It was so nice of them! They also gave us combat knives.
Hahaha awesome. Jackie spoke at the new and returning member fireside
and I got to see many members from my last wards! It was incredible.
God retaught me this week about how sometimes we have to work through
the tough times to get to the really really good stuff! Sunday was
that stuff!! I was so happy! Jackie is doing pretty good! Her son
Josiah is crazy! I love the kid. I hope you all have a wonderful week.
I know this gospel is true and I love and believe it with all my
heart. Jesus is my best friend and has helped me so much in my
life...love you all!
Elder Routsong
P.s.
Sorry my email is short and kinda lame. We went to DC today to look at
the monuments so I didn't have a lot of time to write

And Another One August 15, 2016

Friends and family!!

Hey! Hope your week was awesome! Another week down...time flies when
you work hard and are having fun! This week was so hot and humid I
thought my skin was going to melt off on Saturday...
This week was kinda slow because everyone decided that they were going
out of town or just straight up couldn't meet with us but we still
managed! On pday last week we played some basketball in centreville
which was a lot of fun. I'm getting better and better at it so
hopefully I can play some good pick up games when I'm back home hahah.
That night one of our members introduced us to his neighbor. His name
is Gaile and his wife is Kay. They are super friendly people. We dos
service for them all week. It was super fun getting to know Gaile he
is so funny! Tuesday we had zone training and we learned more about
being in unity with God and our mission. It was pretty neat. Something
I really liked is "it is better to be a Shepard and not a sheriff." It
sticks out to me cause honestly I'm a sheriff and I call people out on
dumb things rather than being patient with them and helping them
understand. Haha sometimes God just needs us to know things! It was
really cool. We also talked about patience with ourselves and with
gods timing. Seriously another one of my weaknesses... Hahahah zone
training was just for me I guess. After zone training I went on
exchanges with Elder Hild. He is awesome. Probably one of the funniest
kids in the mission he is such a goober! He is so smart when it comes
to the gospel so we had a very fun time out working that day. Our
member dinner was with one of my favorite families in the Sterling
ward. They are hilarious the Boehl family. Hahaha it's just like being
back home ha the things they talk about and they are so nice to the
missionaries. We left their house with two big bags of food! We have
to walk everywhere cause my bike is broken so it takes FOREVER. my
feet hurt. But the work still goes on! Wednesday we worked all day for
Gaile. We worked in the siding of his garage. We is replacing it all
with duroc. So it's a long process. Removing all the wood and hanging
it up takes forever. It was fun though. He isn't s member of the
church so we taught him a  few gospel principals as we worked. He also
had s neighbor there who's name is George. These are two old men haha
both over 65. They loved hanging out with us and we learned a lot from
them. They talked about classic rock and growing up in hippie
California and all this cool stuff ha. By the end of the day we were
so tired. We worked all day everyday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday and
Friday. Hahaha we replaced all the siding and starred to paint. It so
some good labor! Friday morning was cool though! Elder King had a
doctor appointment in McLean so a senior couple came and took us to
the appointment and then to this really fancy restaurant after. It's
called Founding Farmers. It's the best food I've eaten out here. Holy
cow. Look up the place on the Internet. After working with Gaile and
George on Friday Ann and Ronnie Williamson from the tall cedars Ward
came and took me to Pf Chang's. We had such a fun time with them. I
love the Williamsons. They are my mission parents for sure. I love
them. Mom and dad I can't wait for you to meet them! Saturday was the
hottest day of my mission it was 95 with like high humidity. The
weather app said it felt like 115 outside. We mowed Eric's lawn in
that garbage. I almost passed out it was so hot my skin seriously felt
like it was going to melt. We read the Book of Mormon with Eric and he
loved it. Sunday was good too! We had Eric and Syd at church. Elder
King and I taught Sunday school a bout being honest in our dealings.
Syd loved the lesson. Elders quorum was the highlight of my week
though. Syds father passed away many years ago and he has always
wondered what he could do to help his father. Our lesson was on temple
work. God literally answered his question after all these years....he
teared up a little bit. It was amazing to see. We tried to put him on
date for September 10th but he is still nervous. It's okay! He is
learning! I love the gospel so much. Sometimes I forget the power that
it has on my life and in others lives. I'm grateful to be a missionary
and my mission has taught me so much about myself and how to overcome
trial! It's the hardest thing I've ever done but so worth it! Love you
all!!
Elder Routsong

Cya Elder Elder Neyman August 8, 2016

Friends and family!

Hey! How is everyone doing?! This week was pretty good. Elder Neyman
went home on Tuesday so it's weird not being in a trio anymore. He is
doing pretty good though. Elder King and I have been having a lot of
fun and working hard. Monday of last week we had zone activity. We had
this huge nerf war in the gym. It was a lot of fun. It was a good Last
pday for Neyman. That night we said bye to a couple members and
everyone was feeding us. It was awful. We always loaded up neymans
plate to tick him off haha so dang funny. He knocked his last door and
it was so crazy. The lady accepted a Book of Mormon and we are going
to send the Spanish missionaries over soon. President came to our
apartment and interviewed him before going home. Tuesday morning we
woke up at 3 a.m. To help bring neymans stuff to the car. I was so
dead tired. Later that morning I taught district meeting on how to
live our purpose as missionaries inviting others to come unto Christ.
It was pretty good. Elder King and I walked like 8 miles to work in
our area. It was a good day though. We taught Syd about how families
can be together forever. We brought a recent convert with us and he
was asking him so many good questions. Syd is finally started to
understand the gospel. Wednesday elder King was sick. We couldn't go
out and work. Thursday we had mission leadership council. All the
district and zone leaders go to this meeting and talk about the goals
and needs of the mission. We got to hear from president and sister
huntsman and usual! I love hearing from them. Sister huntsman talked a
lot about having patience. She mostly touched on having patience with
ourselves. It was exactly what I needed to hear I was being wayyy to
hard on myself lately! We also got to hear from their son who just got
home from his mission in France. He was so spiritual. He talked about
"why we should use our time wisely" when we use time wisely we are
doing the will of Heavenly Father. He also touched on "burying our
weapons of war" like the anti-Nephi-Lehis. Since he spoke to us I have
been trying to think what my "weapons of war are" I know we all have
things that hold is back and things we struggle with but God will help
us bury them and never bring them back. He helps us as we access his
atonement daily! Yeah Mlc was wonderful I learned so much. Friday we
walked and tracted a lot. The very last door we knocked on was this
lady named Sonya. She knows a less active member of our Ward. We are
trying to teach her over there so hopefully it happens! Saturday we
played soccer with our investigator Almumy. He is so dang good at
soccer and I suck so bad at soccer. Hahaha we also mowed a less
actives lawn and then fixed my bike. We knocked more doors. This old
dude answered the door shirtless and all hairy. He kept yelling "OFF"
really loudly at his dog haha we started talking to him and he said he
was atheist. And that we are snake dancers...BAHAHA. What the heck? It
was so funny. Sunday we had church and we talked about some pretty
deep doctrine. Syd was there and he completely loved it. We were
walking around later yesterday night and these girls almost hit me
with their car. They roll down the window and say "do you think that
black lives matter?" I was like "yeah we are all God children" then
they hand me their iPhone and tell me to put in our phone number haha
I did. They text us later and say that they are all Jewish and come
from the tribe of Judah. Hahahaha it was so weird. Another guy I
stopped on the street told me not to talk about Jesus on the streets
cause it's disrespectful........I wanted to tell him that Christs
entire ministry was preaching in the streets....oh some people just
don't understand hahaha thank you everyone for you support and love.
It keeps me going every day. I love this gospel and I am grateful for
my savior Jesus Christ. He is my best friend and he has blessed me
with so much. I know he lives. Have a great week everyone!!
Elder Routsong

Its Already August? August 1, 2016

Everyone!

Hello hello how are you all doing this wonderful week?! This week has
been super hot here in Virginia. Like record breaking heat...crazy
stuff man. We are killing elder Neyman this week he goes home on
Tuesday. Crazy stuff. We are going to miss him a lot. I'm grateful to
have had elder Neyman as my companion not once but twice! He is a
great missionary and I'm grateful for his patience with me and also
for his wonderful example that he is! I've learned so much from all my
companions!
This week was a little slower than most cause people wanted to say
goodbye to elder Neyman. But it was still a blast! And we had some
success!
Monday of last week we played football and chilled for pday it was 110
degrees with about 80% humidity. It was straight crazy. We only played
football outside for like 30 minutes haha that night we taught piseth
and his mother. They are Cambodian. He is a member but his mom is not
we teach in English and he translates to kamir. It's pretty awesome.
Two of us taught and elder King was helping his daughter with math
homework haha blessings of being in a trio. Tuesday we had district
meeting and I taught about the atonement we all read out of the
testaments each account of the atonement. It was a good lesson! That
night we taught Syd. He is great but he is so long Winded! We taught
him the gospel again and he is so spiritual. Wednesday we helped a non
member move more of his stuff out to Haymarket. It was so much fun! We
really enjoy hanging out with David. We were moving some mirrors for
him and elder King stepped on one and totally broke it hahahaha he has
been known for breaking the Fredericks things. Haha David yells "OH NO
YOU DIDNT!" Haha it was so dang funny. We laughed it all off over some
slurpees after. Thursday was a dang hot day too. We went this guy
named Eric's house. He is dang funny. We mowed his lawn and read the
scriptures with him. Eric is a cool guy he just never comes to church.
We went with some members to this kabob place and ate some middle
Eastern food. It was mighty good but it didn't sit well with me so I
was feeling so sick. After dinner we taught Dave. He is our most
progressing investigator. He is incredible. He is ready for the gospel
because of all the hardship and trial he has gone through... Divorce,
alcoholic, barely gets to see his kids. He just wants to find
happiness..we talked about the atonement with him. It was starting to
make sense to him! Super spiritual lesson! Friday we taught the Perira
family. They are hilarious. We usually read the scriptures with them
and do some funny activity but we watched s video about hope with
them. They are a crazy but good family we love spending time with
them! We also helped and inactive family set up their sons birthday
party. We must have filled like a thousand water balloons for them.
They darn kids kept throwing them while we're trying to fill them!
Elder Neyman was getting so ticked haha. Saturday was awesome. My good
friends Eder and Brenda from the Langley ward came and took me out to
dinner! I love spending time with them. They made me miss that place
so much. I love the members of the Langley Ward!! I hate how sometimes
in life we don't have the best attitudes about our circumstances but
then we look back and realize we learned so much from our experiences
and it wasn't even really that bad. That was my time in the singles
ward. I love that place. That night we went and helped a member of our
Ward clean his gun collection. Dad...you should see what this guy
has... It's so sick! Elder King put on this tactical vest and he
smacked elder King with a hammer! It was dang funny. Church was good
on Sunday we had no investigators show up we were a little
disappointed but that's just life on the mission I guess. Elder Neyman
had to pack the rest of the day. We are sad to see him leave on
Tuesday morning. This week was good. I've been thinking a lot lately
about how merciful the savior is. Countless times we fail again and
again. Showing our weakness again and again. I'm so grateful that he
has patience with me and my mistakes. I love the savior and have felt
his redeeming mercy in my life. Sometimes it's hard to recognize but
it is always there. If we pray for forgiveness and guidance the lord
will multiply our efforts to help us progress. His love is infinite
for us. Have a great week everyone! Thank you for all your love and
support!!
Elder Routsong

Two Weeks in Sterling July 25, 2016

Friends and family!

How's everyone doing this fine week?! Life is good here just super hot
and super humid. I swear Satan is giving me a hug every time I leave
the house cause it's that fetchin hot! But the work goes on! We are on
bike and it's such an adventure haha. Three missionaries on bikes
calls for some shenanigans. Elder King almost killed himself while
trying to hop a double curve yesterday hahahah his week was pretty
good though. Last Monday we went to the mall and played some hardcore
basketball. I loved every minute of it! Our mission is so good at
basketball it's crazy. Sometimes it gets a little heated. That night
we had a lesson with our most progressing investigator Syd! He is a
stud. We talked about lesson 3 the gospel of Jesus Christ. Syd is from
Iran and converted to Christianity when he came here. We love working
with Syd he is such a humble guy. He drive school busses for special
needs kids and works at a piano store in the mall. Such a smart and
humble man. The lessons are always so spiritual. Tuesday was a super
good day though. I taught my first district meeting since September of
last year. I enjoy being a district leader more than a zone leader. We
talked about setting goals and having faith to push us to achieve
goals. When we set goals in faith we access the potential that
Heavenly Father has for us! So cool! We ate lunch at one of my
favorite places called Caroline bros. it's mighty good missionaries
eat free. Then we went to a inactives house and taught them while
filling up water balloons for a birthday party haha we were in church
clothes and just soaking wet. But it was a good time. Wednesday we
taught this African guy named John. We he works at this African store
in the mall and was totally high on something. He kept asking elder
King "boy what's in your stomach?" Haha later that day we helped a
part member family move out to Haymarket. The non member is named
Dave. He is so sick! We love spending time with him. Thursday we had
zone conference and talked about the role of the spirit in our
conversion. I love being with president and sister huntsman. They are
the greatest! We had exchanges with the Zone leaders after conference
and had a blast out tracting. We met this cool Hispanic family. They
showed me Pokemon go. It was sick. We had another spiritual lesson
with Syd. We talked about baptism he said he isn't ready but I know he
is. He offered one of the most humble prayers I've ever heard. Such a
spiritual moment for me... I can't even describe it. Friday we weekly
planned it was boring and Taught s less active named Eric. He was
cool. Saturday we taught a recent convert Danny. He is sick. Sunday we
had a great time at church. Syd came and everyone loves him! It was
awesome. It was so hot outside though..we were dying. All in all this
was a great week! Love you all!!
Elder Routsong

Sterling July 18, 2016

Friends and family!!

This week was so fetching crazy! Like straight crazy! Last Monday we
went with president and sister huntsman and all the other zone leaders
in the mission the to senate offices in DC. We met senator Orrin G
Hatch. He is the longest lasting republican senator in congress. He
was literally opening a session of congress when we met him haha. He
had a great spirit with him. He told us about his mission and is work
on battling socialism and changing America. On Tuesday we had our pday
and we went to the zoo Hahahah it was awesome. My goal was to tick off
the gorillas there. Got one to hit the glass pretty hard. So I
accomplished my goal. Those things would kill me so fast if it weren't
for that glass... Haha after the zoo we just hungout and wrote emails.
We had dinner with Bentley and he fixed my bike! I am grateful for
Bentley he is so awesome and a great ward mission leader. We got
transfers that night and I figured I won't be a zone leader anymore!
Yay! I'm dropping to a district leader and going to sterling park with
elder King and Neyman! I loved being a zone leader but 11 months of it
was hard! Wednesday we had district meeting and elder Merrill had us
do a nerf war haha then I packed and had dinner with eder who is a
stud. We played gatorball with sam. I hope he gets baptized. I said
bye to everyone in the Ward. Guys....it was super hard for me to leave
Langley. I served there for 6 months and made so many friends. It was
really hard to leave. I know I didn't have the best attitude at times
but I loved Langley! I would go back. Elder McCray is so sweet!
Thursday we had transfers and I got elder King and Neyman. We stole a
mission jeep that was just sitting at transfers so now we have a car!
It'll probably get taken away... It's been super hot like 95+ and
humid. So I'm glad we have the car for now. That night we met a family
names the fredricks. They are cool but are moving so I won't have much
time to,get to know them! Friday we had to go to the office to drop
some stuff off and get a few things from my last apartment. We weekly
planned and tracted for awhile. We found a few good people to meet
with. And then we met brother Jimenez who is the cool guy in our ward.
Saturday we played soccer with our investigator Almumy. He is so dang
good! He wrecked my knee haha. We went to a baptism that I was waiting
for for 7 months. 7 months ago elder holdaway and I baptized a 13 year
old named tommy. He is a very smart kid. I love tommy. He has a light
that radiates from him! His dad ray didn't like the church. After I
left tall cedars I thought we had done. And now ray entered the waters
of baptism and is a changed man and a new follower of Jesus Christ.
What an awesome blessing it was for me to see! Truly brought me a
complete joy... Ray and tommy have a special place in my heart. Sunday
in the sterling park Ward was great! I met the Jensen family from back
in Colorado. They are both so sweet mom and dad! After church we
taught the Rivera family and they are sick! We had a rock concert with
them haha smoke machine and mic and guitars haha it was hilarious.
Such a good week. It is weird not being in a singles ward but I'm
excited to work here in sterling. I am grateful for my savior Jesus
Christ. He is my best friend. I love and enjoy the privilege of seeing
others come closer to him through sacred ordinances! I rejoice in my
god this week! Love you all so so much! Have a great and blessed week!
Love
Elder Routsong

Orin Hatch July 12, 2016

Friends and family!!

Hey hey! Hope this week went by super great for all of you!! Mine was
pretty good! We worked hard and also had some really cool experiences!
Last pday we bowled and went to the airforce memorial to watch the
fireworks from DC! It was awesome but it was super rainy and cloudy so
we didn't really,get to see much of the show!,it was still super super
fun! Being in DC is so sweet on the 4th! Tuesday we had district
meetings and I went on changes with Bella vista and we tracted
forever! We also had a member who is planning to serve a mission. It
was a good experience! Wednesday the highlight was I went and threw
the discus with one of our gators! It was awesome! His name is
Benedict! He is such a beast! Throws the shot 62 feet! He is crazy. We
taught him about the Book of Mormon and faith! So Good! Thursday went
on exchanges and I was with elder Harding in Tysons. We tracted and
street contacted all day. We found three people and taught a few
lessons on the street it was probably one of the hottest and most
humid days of my mission. We were drenched in sweat cause we were on
foot. It was awesome. People were very nice and giving us water every
couple of doors we knocked. It was nice hitting the pillow that night
feeling exhausted. Friday we worked at a food pantry and had a great
time with all the people there. They brought in a ton of broken eggs
and we had to sort through them. It was super nasty... But always a
fun time! Saturday was sweet! Had breakfast with the high council and
then helped out at a baptism the sisters were having in our Ward! Kari
can hopefully take her to the temple when she comes to Colorado! It
was great! We've been working with a less active named gabe and we put
together a super smash brothers night for him along with the elders
quorum. So Saturday night was daaaang fun! We didn't get to play but
it was a blast being there. Sunday I said my goodbyes to everyone in
church and then on Monday we cut some wood and met with senator Orrin
G. Hatch. He is the most senior republican senator and third in line
to the presidency of the United States of America! He was powerful...
I loved getting the chance to meet him! This week was great! Today we
went to the zoo in DC! So dope! Sorry this email kinda sucks but my
pictures will probably be good!! Love you all!!!!!