HBG!

So this week has been pretty good. Nothing too special but when you
are serving the Lord it is always special!

So last P-day was fun we went to bass pro and messed around we did the
little arcade shooting thing and we just had fun walking around
probably one of the biggest pass pros I have ever seen! And then we
played some basketball and volleyball. That night this awesome part
member Mexican family fed us these bomb tacos. They think I know
Spanish so they speak to me in Spanish and I just look at them and
reply with my limited Spanish of "Por Supesto" and "Soy Gordo" and
other little phrases like that! Hahaha

Well on Friday we had MLC (mission leader conference) it was al, the
way in Altoona which is about a 2 and half hour car ride so this was
an all day thing. So the STLs came and picked us up and we headed out
to Altoona. It was fun Elder Kunz of the area seventy spoke to us and
it was awesome to hear how highly he spoke of missionaries. He would
make comments about how much the Quorum of the twelve has some much
trust and faith in us as missionaries. It was a big confidence
builder. Also got to see some old mission friends so that was always
good.

This week we also had a meeting with the stake presidency about how to
coordinate missionary work. And that is an intimidating meeting having
the stake presidency look at you and ask how can we help with
missionary work. I was like "uuuuhhhh I thought we were hear to serve
you..." but it turned out good we both had a lot of questions for each
other and so the missionaries and the stake are on the same page so
watch out world the HBG stake is about to be the best you've ever
seen! Haha

We had a couple other meetings this week and we also have been
spending a lot of time trying to figure out logistics for Zone
conference and our trainings and a lot of other planning. But over all
it was a good week that was very busy.

Oh we also visited with Kenzie this week and she is doing amazing had
some great questions about the plan of salvation. It is so great to
see her genuine interest in learning more she is like a sponge and
just takes everything in. I couldn't have asked for a better recent
convert!
love elder swisher

Spanish Spanish Spanish

So this week has been pretty slow just knocking on a lot of doors
trying to get in contact with some people. And yet it seems like no
ever answers the door. It surprises me how often people say "ya I'm
always home just stop by sometime." And then we knock five different
times five different days at five different times of the day and they
are never home... it's like they are trying to avoid us or
something... hahaha

So as I've said before there are a lot of Spanish speaking people out
here. So me and Elder Cooper have a hard time communicating sometimes
but we have been learning because the walk elders are Spanish
speaking. So with the walk elders we have been visiting this family
named the Gomezs they are less-active but are starting to come back
the parents speak very little English but the kids who want to be
baptized speak English so we teach the kids while the walk elders
teach the parents. It works pretty good it's been fun because I heard
rumors about how Spanish families feed people and I have been hungry
lately so I put it too the test they said how about we make you some
tacos one night so we set up a time for dinner tonight for tacos at
their house!!! They asked "How many tacos can each of you eat?" I
replied as many as you can make! So the challenge is on! I'm planning
on eating at least 15 tacos! I'm pretty excited for tonight!

So we got a new walk Elder in the area and one of his first days he
suggests that all 4 of us go on a cleanze again... so apparently we
are all going on another cleanze to start eating healthier. So this
time I am actually going to try because I haven't been eating the best
and I want to start eating healthier and start to form good habits
now. It also didn't help that I was fighting doing this cleanze and
then we went to church and our Sunday school lesson was on the Lords
law of health... basically saying we need to take good care of what we
put into our bodies. So I basically got rebuked by the spirit! But now
I'm 100% in!

Another funny story is apparently little kids both love me and hate
me! I don't get it... I think I'm too much like my father. The little
kids get excited and yell "look its Elder Swisher! Get him!" And so
they are excited but then they attack! It's hard to do anything
because I'm a missionary so I just have to take it so almost every
Dinner appointment or every Sunday I get attacked! The other 3
missionaries just laugh the entire time and encourage the kids to beat
me up more!

Well I'm so sorry for no pictures this week like I said it was a slow
week. But I promise I will have pictures for all of you next week!
Love and miss you all!

Elder Swisher

Baptism!

So this week was fantastic!!!

So this week started off with a fun exchange. I was here in Harrisburg
with Elder Nelson and the entire day ended up being service! Hahaha
the morning we got a phone call to help this old lady move so we go
over there with another member, the legendary Brother Crompton, and we
help this older lady from our Ward move and it took a while but it was
fun because she had a bugle from WW2 that I tried to play! She had
every single piece of John Wayne collectibles you could imagine. And
when we would ask here if it was being packed up she would always
reply "Can't forget John!" And then we went to the bike shop and
worked on bikes. I love going there I love working on bikes especially
now that I know how to fix them! Haha but it's just always fun being
in a warehouse in the ghetto fixing bikes for little kids!

So then we had to on Wednesday attend 2 district meetings both our own
and another district because we have to visit each district meeting in
our zone. So that turned out to be a day full of meetings but they
were uplifting so that was great!

Last P-day it was about 70 degrees so most of our zone got together
and went to a park and played ultimate frisbee and soccer and
football! It was a blast to be outside again! Unfortunately it is a
little colder today but we will still find something fun to do!

Transfers are tomorrow and I found out that me and Elder Cooper are
staying together for another transfer here in Harrisburg!! This is
going to be great because we got some people that we have been working
with that I'm excited to see how it turns out!

Well I saved the best for last Kenzee got baptized!!!!! On Saturday
Kenzee got baptized and it was the greatest thing ever this was my
first baptism of the mission! It was great because she was smiling
from ear to ear the entire time and couldn't stop. Her Uncle Brother
Ogden baptized her and I confirmed her the next day at church! A good
amount of the ward showed up to support Kenzee and she has a strong
family backing her. So she has a bright future ahead of her! That
Sunday I confirmed Kenzee and another girl named Denise. Denise was
one of the girls we ran into at IHOP that the walk elders have been
teaching! It was unbelievable to see 3 people get confirmed in one
sacrament meeting! I had never felt the spirit so strong! I was truly
amazing!

Hope you all have a great week! Love and miss you all!