Sunday, August 28, 2016
Saturday, August 20, 2016
The End of One Journey, The Beginning of Another
Hello everybody!
I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here, video or otherwise. This was not my intention in any way, but I do apologize for that. Now that things are coming together here and I am starting to get on a schedule, I will hopefully be posting more regularly. Anyways, onto the important stuff!
Just as a quick refresher, since it has been awhile, I am in Grass Valley, CA, my teammate recently left, and I've been staying with a couple from church until I get an apartment. At the end of July, I attended the Tahoe Family Encampment, which is a week-long retreat at Lake Tahoe put on my the churches of Christ and had people from across the country attend. This was only my second time at Lake Tahoe since I have been here, and I am loving it more and more. Besides the location, the encampment itself was very encouraging, with speakers from all over coming and teaching, including a certain Mr. Chris Swinford from Sunset. We were also camping in tents, something I hadn't done in a very long time. All in all, the experience was great. And then things started to get a little crazy for me.
During my stay in Tahoe, I had a phone interview for a job I had applied for. As I have talked about before, my plan has been to stay in the Grass Valley area after my AIM time is over. I hadn't planned on getting a job so soon, but a friend from church told me about this opportunity and it was too good to pass up. So, while at Tahoe, I had a phone interview that Monday, and then was asked to come to Folsom where the job is located, about 4 hours away, the next day for a group interview. This obviously wasn't something that was going to work well for me, but I was able to get them to let me join via video chat (luckily there were places with internet not too far from the campgrounds). Then Friday morning I got an email saying I got the job!...right when my family showed up. Great timing!
So, at the end of the encampment, my family drove up to Tahoe in a rental after flying in the previous day. We spent the day in Tahoe exploring and hiking, and then came back to Grass Valley. I got to show them around, introduce them at church, and make a spontaneous trip to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, something I hadn't done yet since being here. I even got to preach on one of the Sundays they were here, just for added pressure. One thing that my parents surprised me with is that they decided to buy me a car while they were here, with the expectation that I pay them back once I am on my feet. I am extremely thankful for them and all that they have done for me over the years.
With that, we come to the present. My family has left, I have started training for my new job, and I'm moving into an apartment on September 1. Now, this may leave some of you wondering where that puts me with AIM. I have talked to AIM as well as my missions deacon and have decided that after this month I will no longer be supported as an AIMer.
This doesn't mean I am no longer being a missionary here, though. I will never stop encouraging people and trying to reach out to those who need it, I am just no longer doing it in a supported capacity. So, to everyone who has been supporting me through this time, I would like to thank you for bringing me to this point. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to grow and experience all I have gone through these past two years. I would encourage you all to keep supporting missions, there are two new AIMers and two on the field from the Valley church that could use it.
To anyone wanting to know, my official graduation from the AIM program will be March 11 in Lubbock, and I am planning to make a return trip to Alaska the following summer to see everyone there again and answer any questions people may have about my time.
Again, thank you to all my supporters these past two years, and until we see each other again, God bless.
I know, I know, it's been awhile since I've posted anything on here, video or otherwise. This was not my intention in any way, but I do apologize for that. Now that things are coming together here and I am starting to get on a schedule, I will hopefully be posting more regularly. Anyways, onto the important stuff!
Just as a quick refresher, since it has been awhile, I am in Grass Valley, CA, my teammate recently left, and I've been staying with a couple from church until I get an apartment. At the end of July, I attended the Tahoe Family Encampment, which is a week-long retreat at Lake Tahoe put on my the churches of Christ and had people from across the country attend. This was only my second time at Lake Tahoe since I have been here, and I am loving it more and more. Besides the location, the encampment itself was very encouraging, with speakers from all over coming and teaching, including a certain Mr. Chris Swinford from Sunset. We were also camping in tents, something I hadn't done in a very long time. All in all, the experience was great. And then things started to get a little crazy for me.
During my stay in Tahoe, I had a phone interview for a job I had applied for. As I have talked about before, my plan has been to stay in the Grass Valley area after my AIM time is over. I hadn't planned on getting a job so soon, but a friend from church told me about this opportunity and it was too good to pass up. So, while at Tahoe, I had a phone interview that Monday, and then was asked to come to Folsom where the job is located, about 4 hours away, the next day for a group interview. This obviously wasn't something that was going to work well for me, but I was able to get them to let me join via video chat (luckily there were places with internet not too far from the campgrounds). Then Friday morning I got an email saying I got the job!...right when my family showed up. Great timing!
So, at the end of the encampment, my family drove up to Tahoe in a rental after flying in the previous day. We spent the day in Tahoe exploring and hiking, and then came back to Grass Valley. I got to show them around, introduce them at church, and make a spontaneous trip to San Francisco to see the Golden Gate Bridge, something I hadn't done yet since being here. I even got to preach on one of the Sundays they were here, just for added pressure. One thing that my parents surprised me with is that they decided to buy me a car while they were here, with the expectation that I pay them back once I am on my feet. I am extremely thankful for them and all that they have done for me over the years.
With that, we come to the present. My family has left, I have started training for my new job, and I'm moving into an apartment on September 1. Now, this may leave some of you wondering where that puts me with AIM. I have talked to AIM as well as my missions deacon and have decided that after this month I will no longer be supported as an AIMer.
This doesn't mean I am no longer being a missionary here, though. I will never stop encouraging people and trying to reach out to those who need it, I am just no longer doing it in a supported capacity. So, to everyone who has been supporting me through this time, I would like to thank you for bringing me to this point. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to grow and experience all I have gone through these past two years. I would encourage you all to keep supporting missions, there are two new AIMers and two on the field from the Valley church that could use it.
To anyone wanting to know, my official graduation from the AIM program will be March 11 in Lubbock, and I am planning to make a return trip to Alaska the following summer to see everyone there again and answer any questions people may have about my time.
Again, thank you to all my supporters these past two years, and until we see each other again, God bless.
Friday, May 6, 2016
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Friday, March 25, 2016
Thursday, March 24, 2016
Sunday, March 13, 2016
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Friday, January 22, 2016
New Field, New Start
There has been a lot happening with me, and I haven't been doing the best to keep everyone updated, but here is my attempt to do so. This should hopefully be the start of me actually doing this on a regular basis, so keep your fingers crossed for that.
I am no longer in Salt Lake City.
That idea still seems rather foreign to me. Even though I have been gone for over a month, it feels as if I'm just on a very long vacation. Nonetheless, SLC is no longer my mission field. To quickly summarize what happened, AIM did not agree with something that might be happening with the church there, so they thought it best to have us leave and continue our field time elsewhere.
I am no longer on the same mission team.
When the team was told of AIM's decision, some decided to leave the program and stay in SLC, and some decided to go home. While they may no longer be part of AIM, they are still continuing God's work where they are and I wish them the best in their journey. For those of us who continued in AIM, I am not going to the same field as the rest. They will be joining the team in San Antonio where I am sure they will do great. Though this may seem like a lot of change, something I heard during my time in Lubbock has helped me a lot; it doesn't really matter what "team" we are on, because we are all part of God's team.
Now, there is a bright side to all of this. Since I left SLC, I was able to spend the holidays back home in Alaska and reconnect with friends and family up there. My time up there helped with all the change I have been going through, as well as make my parents happy I was home for a bit. Afterwards I made my way back to Lubbock where I got to help with Mission Term Orientation and see all my friends there as well as meet with the current AIM class. As weird as being back there was and not being a student, I enjoyed it and glad I made the trip.
It was in Lubbock that I met up with my new teammate, David Rentfro. David recently left his field in Scotland, and we will be spending the rest of our field time in Grass Valley, California and working with the wonderful Eli Hooper. After a long 2-day trip, we are now in Grass Valley and pumped to jump right into the work here.
Thank you to everyone who has been supporting and praying for me on my journey so far. If you want to know more about what is happening with me, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Also, as I am just getting settled here, there are some one-time expenses that I am needing some help with, so if you are interested in supporting me that way, let me know. As always, keep me in your prayers and God bless!
I am no longer in Salt Lake City.
That idea still seems rather foreign to me. Even though I have been gone for over a month, it feels as if I'm just on a very long vacation. Nonetheless, SLC is no longer my mission field. To quickly summarize what happened, AIM did not agree with something that might be happening with the church there, so they thought it best to have us leave and continue our field time elsewhere.
I am no longer on the same mission team.
When the team was told of AIM's decision, some decided to leave the program and stay in SLC, and some decided to go home. While they may no longer be part of AIM, they are still continuing God's work where they are and I wish them the best in their journey. For those of us who continued in AIM, I am not going to the same field as the rest. They will be joining the team in San Antonio where I am sure they will do great. Though this may seem like a lot of change, something I heard during my time in Lubbock has helped me a lot; it doesn't really matter what "team" we are on, because we are all part of God's team.
Now, there is a bright side to all of this. Since I left SLC, I was able to spend the holidays back home in Alaska and reconnect with friends and family up there. My time up there helped with all the change I have been going through, as well as make my parents happy I was home for a bit. Afterwards I made my way back to Lubbock where I got to help with Mission Term Orientation and see all my friends there as well as meet with the current AIM class. As weird as being back there was and not being a student, I enjoyed it and glad I made the trip.
It was in Lubbock that I met up with my new teammate, David Rentfro. David recently left his field in Scotland, and we will be spending the rest of our field time in Grass Valley, California and working with the wonderful Eli Hooper. After a long 2-day trip, we are now in Grass Valley and pumped to jump right into the work here.
Thank you to everyone who has been supporting and praying for me on my journey so far. If you want to know more about what is happening with me, please don't hesitate to get in touch. Also, as I am just getting settled here, there are some one-time expenses that I am needing some help with, so if you are interested in supporting me that way, let me know. As always, keep me in your prayers and God bless!
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