WEEK 7 3-4-11 - 3-10-11

Hello!

Wow another week down how crazy!! so first the big NEWS......... I got my flight plans yesterday!!! here they are we leave March 22nd from Salt Lake City at 11:05 AM to Detroit Michigan!! We get to Detroit at 4:37 Eastern time and that is prob when I will be calling cause we have a 2 hour lay over there!! we leave detroit at 6:50 Eastern time to AMSTERDAM in the netherlands!! We get to Amsterdam at 7:45 am Netherlends time and than we leave at 8:50 to Berlin we get to berlin the 23rd at 10:10 am which will be like 2 in the morning our time!! We were all way pumped when we got them yesterday!!

 Ok so on to the other stuff! Yesterday was literally the coolest lesson/conversation we've had since Ive been here!! We talked about intelligence and everything with our teacher he brought a talk by cleon or leon skousen its called the need for the atonement!! And it talks about intelligences and it made so much sense to all of us!! It puts everthing in to better perspective and why the Atonement is so important and why it had to happen! Basically it comes down to the fact that with the law of justice we will never be able to leave with our Heavenly father again cause he would cease to be god by not following that law. But because of the Atonement Christ has the call because of mercy Mercy is a whole different law but Mercy over powers Justice so that is how it is possible for us! It also makes more sense why blessings are so important or why blessings work! and same with miracles its all science. God can do anything but he has to keep the laws or he ceases to be God! Everything has intelligence so with blessings its like askin or telling those intelligence to fix themselves and obey but it has to be if God wants it to obey thats why the spirit is so important! Gods power is his honor! By having Honor every intelligence obeys him! Even though it still has agency! That is where the light of christ comes in! The intelligences are light and truth which is the light of christ! So that is what gives us the desire to do good and obey God!! It's a really deep concept I wish i could explain it better But read about the atonement and the creation and all that its pretty awesome!!

 I got a letter from Scotty it was good to hear from him I'll have to write him back today!! I can't believe I have less than 2 weeks and I'll be in Germany! I am a bit nervous I hope I get an awesome companion!! SO there is quite a few people going to germany 2 from st. george are here now with the new district they are both at little different!! But tell aunt linda Elder Maughn and I are pretty good friends!! Hunter good luck with your preformance I know you will do great!! Ya its cool having hurst in the same building he comes up and I go down and we hang out for a little bit every night so thats fun!! I can't believe Austin is home thats so crazy! President Daines (the provo Temple pres) spoke on sunday here and it was awesome so much things about the temple! He promised us that it would be harder to leave our mission than it was to leave our families I had a hard time believing that!! But I am looking forward to seeing that happen and I am sure it will!!

We got to host yesterday it was wierd to see all the moms crying and stuff it seems like that never happened cause I've been here for so long! I am sure we will host next week also!! Also in Pres daines talk well his wife talked before he did she told a story about this 12yr old boy who had cancer and ended up dying! and he appeared to his dad later with the boys Grandpa and great Grandpa and said he was happy! and than the boy said  its weird  everything is so busy here we are preparing for the second coming! How freaking crazy is that!! anyways yes all is good here at the mtc! I can not wait to get to Germany though!!. And i have a lot more respect for the priesthood now because I know that to perform those miracles we have to have gods Honor!! so thats prety awesome!! Come on mother 6:45 is nothing!! we are right in the thick of things that early!! haha! Well nothing really new here!! I don't think there is anything I really need! But I love you all!! The church is true keep up the good work!! Study the scriptures! Oh another thing I learned is if you write down a question you have before you read the scriptures it makes the scriptures so much more meaningful and you can definately find the answer its so crazy!!

WEEK 6 2-25-11 - 3-3-11

Halo Guten Tag!!
It's definately flying by!! I can not wait to get to Germany though I am so excited!! This week has gone by super fast its just to the point where it's flying by and everything is kinda the same ya know!! But I am still learning a ton! This last Tuesday Richard C. Edgely from the presiding bishopric spoke and he was so awesome!! He talked about how it's so easy to be a successful missionary and that we are the best the church has ever sent!! It was a really good uplifting talk for all of us he just said study, pray, and have the spirit and you will be a successful missionary so that was awesome!! I have not seen Kaleb yet we weren't hosts yesterday but I have seen Elder Heaps quite a few times so that's cool he's a good kid! He actually leaves before me because he goes to the mtc in Guatemala for a few weeks so he leaves the 14th of March! Saying bye to boots was crazy he was super excited though and that's good I know he will do great!! His companion is way cool too and they were both really excited to go do the work!! I got an e mail from taylor haha he says his part of hawaii is not what you'd think of when you think of hawaii but he loves it says its so much better than the mtc and his first door he knocked it was a little asian lady who slammed it in his face haha classic! Thats way sad about Jordan Parras i knew who he was what a freak accident!! Crazy! Hunter sounds like a smart kid not taking crap from anyone!! Haha no tell him he needs to respect people who are older than him but next time that girl tells him not to do something to tell her to worry about herself!! Thats my boy!! Tell him to keep up on the Lakers for me so he can tell me how they are doing and everything and also about Kansas to see if they are doing good!! Keep up the piano! and when i get home you can teach me!! Thats cool you'll be able to come up here it looks like it might be a little bit colder again which sucks but oh well!! So last night our teacher taught us about we are responsible for 100 percent of what happens to us and I had a hard time with that the fact that a 4yr old boy in africa born with aids and dies at the age of 4 of starvation is responsible for that! But it is a principle we must understand that in the pre earth life we all chose Gods plan not knowing our consequences but we knew there would be consequences so we chose to come here! God gave us laws also so he must follow those laws and even though we cant choose our consequences we are responsible for what happens cause we know as a church that God gives us everything we need to reach our highest potential which is exaltation no matter how hard our life is we must realize that everything has or will be given to us that will help us reach our potential!! So now I understand a little bit better! Thats so nuts Austin gets home soon what an example to his bro's and to our family tell him I say hello from the mtc!! and Tell Sarah and Danny congrats thats way cool the priesthood is an awesome privilege I've stood in on a couple blessings since I have been here so thats been fun and interesting! So elder cox is still weird we are worried he wont make it out in the field cause none of us think he is emotionally stable! his companion told us the other day he should be making money for being a phsyciatrist haha it was quite funny! Me and my comp still get a long really well and that really helps our teaching!! So Pallas finally made it to Spain that will be good for him he says its Beautiful and he loves it there! Pretty disappointing day yesterday NO MAIL! thats like the first day I have had in a long time with no Mail or dear elders in one day so that means I should have a lot today I'm crossing my fingers! My comp and elder cox got in an argument yesterday about castles and my comp said how it would be awesome to have a castle and preach to people from the tower! Elder cox said that is so ineffective! You have to send out a decree to all your people! Towers are for war purposes only! Then my comp said oh really how about King Benjamin didn't he preach from a tower haha than elder cox knew he had been beaten so he said wow now your taken it way too far!! I wish I could tell you all the things he says they are literally ridiculous! We got new German Missionary's yesterday a few of them are a little different but a few seem way cool there is actually a kid who went to dixie high school so ya but he's one of the wierder ones! There is also one who looks like harry Potter!! haha classic! Anyways I am excited for the package and excited to be able to call in a couple weeks I will have to let you all know times so I can get a hold of you and maybe you can get Hunter out of school so I can talk to him too!! It will be on a tuesday I should get my Travel plans within the next week so that will be good! Keep reading the scriptures they are awesome read about the Plan of Salvation it really helps keep an eye on the eternal perspective!! Well keep it up ya'll thanks for the support!! See ya in 22 months!
Ps. The church is true!!

WEEK 5 2-18-11 - 2-24-11

Halo Guten Tag!

Another week down how CRAZY!! I can not believe I have less than 4 weeks left and I am in Germany!! I am so excited to be able to go there but I also just wish that I could know the language better!! Oh well I know that it will come with time!! So this last tuesday we had a devotional we have devotionals every tuesday and sunday night but this time Elder Kearon of the Seventy spoke he acutally spoke in the last general conference priesthood session go look up his talk he was AMAZING!! He was just telling us how we need to be the message we need to look like the message act like the message and just be the message!! The weather wow well its still pretty cold but I am not outside much haha mostly class room so I don't realize it a whole lot so thats good. I went to the temple today thats good and I love it cause we eat temple breakfast every thursday and its truly amazing. Um ya I hope the package gets there cause if not that would be not good!! A word of advice for Hunter tell him to not quit the Piano!! He will regret it just keep doing it I am trying to learn a little bit of the Piano from a friend here so that will be good. And tell him memorizing the articles of faith is awesome!! Tell Bret thanks for the scriptures she told me to read they are great missionary scriptures!! Linda dear eldered me it was great to hear from her and their family thats so crazy that Austin gets home so soon!! I know it prob just flew by for him like it is for me! It was so weird saying bye to taylor and next week boots leaves so its gonna be weird but it will be good he is really excited to go so I am excited for him he speaks prettty good spanish spanish is easier than German though that is for sure!! SO we got a new district leader it's elder lloyd  I sent a picture of him he is the one has his hair parted and looks like a goon he is a way sweet kid but he is getting strict which is weird I just think we should all just have fun! Anyways nothin really new from the mtc just been reading in true to the faith its money cause it has so many topics where you can study those things and than it has scriptures for you to study also so thats good for me!! Studying by topic is really a lot more productive for me other than studying just to study and read through the book of mormon!! The bottom bunk is so MONEY its nice I don't have to climb up my bed every night!! I can just say my prayers and jump in my bed its the best!! I don't really need much of anything I will send my sd card soon and I should get my Travel Plans within the next couple of weeks so I will let you know when I will be calling so you can plan on that! I might be calling from ATL or Paris Idk yet but I will find out and let you guys know. So at 1:30 today I have to drop 120 dollars for shots I am pretty upset about that but its ok I guess I should get the shots! Did I say how excited I was to go to Germany!! I know it will be hard but I will do my best I will take a lot of Pictures and when I get there I will be able to send pictures from my e mails so that will be way easier. Mail is still awesome here I love getting it!! I always thought I would always need a nap but I haven't really I take one on sundays sometimes for about an hour and that sure is nice!! My companion and I are getting along a lot better so that is cool cause we are starting to teach better but before I know it I will have a new companion!! I have been praying that My senior comp will be way cool and work hard so that he finshes strong and I start strong!! Anyways ya st. george is probably awesome weather right now lucky people!! Its ok though because Germany is gonna be way nicer!! I e mailed Pallas in Idaho I guess he already has 5 baptism dates lucky kid! Dad I guess your mission still has people who need to be baptized he is only teaching the hispanic cause he is supposed to be in spain so he is speakin spanish which is good for him. Hurst comes in on the 2nd so that will be cool to see him I haven't hosted yet I don't even know how they choose who hosts! But hopefully I can figure something out!! Heaps got here yesterday I haven't seen him yet but I am sure I will this is boots last P- Day how crazy he will be a good missionary! Well thats all from the mtc I love you all and hope you continue to learn the gospel! There is so much we can learn and when we think we have learned everything something else comes to our mind and we need to learn that! The spirit will talk to you but he wont compete so let him talk and don't talk over him!! The church is true! Joseph Smith is still the man! And the German Language is still Hard!! Oh ps so about that wrestler kid come to find out its not cayle sandersons brother its cayle sanderson himself!! how crazy haha well thats it thanks everyone Love Ya.

Geh Voran 

Love Elder Voran

WEEK 4 2-11-11 - 2-17-11

Halo Guten Tag!!
Yes I loved the package it was awesome and the package from grandma the day later and than callen sent me a package the next day I have too much candy to even handle!! I laminated the little cards Iyrlend sent me and hung them up at my desk so that is good!! I love them. Um to answer your question there is 8 of us in my district and 4 in each room our rooms are right next to each other also so we are all hanging out all the time!! I get along with the other guys a lot!! So this week flew by this saturday is our halfway mark!! Its so nuts Taylor is one lucky guy he leaves on tuesday or something so he'll be gone but I am going to try and be a host on March 2nd so I can see hursty!! Boots is leaving soon too but before I know it i'll be out of here I am so excited to get to Germany and teach those people!! The language is coming along just great getting better and better everyday its!! I am feeling alot more comfortable with speaking the language and everything so that is good!! Also tell hunter to keep up the basketball I knew eventually he would love sports its in his blood well at least from me dad isn't the most passionate sports fan but he sure likes to see that Jayhawks play!! It's pretty interesting to think that when your out here there is only a few things that really matter and that is your family, your friends, and preaching the gospel!! The spirit really is so strong it's pretty crazy I prayed about what I should be studying last night and this morning I was reading this book and I saw something about Abraham and I felt promted that I should read Abraham so I did and I learned so much about the temple before going it was truly personal revelation. So this last tuesday Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the first quorum of the seventy came and spoke to us and he was so intense like he was almost yelling at us!! He said just cause you are a missionary doesn't mean you are a disciple of Jesus Christ and to be that you can't think that Oh your Christian Voran on a mission you have to think oh I am a disciple of Jesus Christ you have to put all your past in your past and move on in the future. Another cool thing he said was how the mission will bless your future wife and family!! He said he has only seen 20 percent of missionarys really meet there full potential but to do that you have to be diligent!! It was kinda a confidence shot but like they say sometimes the Lord brings you down so he can take you higher!! Diligence is huge out here my quote I came up with was I wanna be so dilegent and work so hard that at the end of every night when I kneel down to pray I can tell my Heavenly Father I honestly did my best!! It's easy to get caught up in the motions as a missionary it's really easy to just figure you are doing enough because you are sacrificing 2yrs of your time thats what i thought coming in here, my outlook has totally changed. I wanna be the type of missionary that the people I teach don't forget and their families remember me. I know the people of Germany are ready for our message and they need the gospel just as much as any of us!! I can't believe I have already been out a month its going by so fast I know when your doing everyting your supposed to and trusting in the lord you don't even have time to think about what is going on in the world!! I feel like I have grown so much already and I am grateful for everyone's support. It really is uplifting to get letters and to hear from everyone!! Thanks for all the letter packages Etc I love everytime I get mail!! The church is true and if you abide by its teachings that is where you will find true happiness!! ps. Idk if I ever gave you my scripture for my plaque mom but its 3rd Nephi 13 vs 5 I am a disciple of Jesus Christ one!! Well keep the letters coming I love them!! Love you all!! Oh also something cool if any of you have ever heard or cale or gale sanderson he was like a super good wrestler who wrestled for Iowa state well anyways so one of the new missionary's who is going to the Alpine mission his last name is sanderson and you can tell he is a wrestler cause of his cauliflower ear so we were asking him and he said that cale or gale was his brother. This kid has already been to 5 years of college!! He wrestled 4 years at iowa state and 1 at penn state he's like 24 but he came after us its so weird cause the new missionary's always seem younger than you are even if you are younger than them. Someone told me the mission is like a small life time and every week is a year and so you grow so much that really i am 4 yrs old in my mission and he is 1 so thats why he seemed yonger than me well thats all!!
Thanks Again!! Love Elder Voran

WEEK 3 2-4-11 - 2-10-11

I just got back from the temple it was great!! I am pretty dissapointed dad did not update me on the kansas game!! what the heck is up with that?? I am sure i will hear about it sooner or later but ya this week has flown bye!! the German is coming along slowly but surely its good to improve it just makes you feel so good!! Thats so cool about Hunter tell him to keep it up and don't give up and learn hard work cause he's gonna need it on his mission!! I learned this week that if you focus on the investigator and not what you need to learn everything else falls into place!! The mission isn't about the missionary at all the missionary is just a messanger that can carry the spirit to the investigator!! It's really my goal to have the spirit with me all the time cause that is what converts people not me!! Anyways haha your little story about Iyrlend cracked me up what a cute little girl!! Easton is going to be a stud!! Also in my package i sent shirts for like you dad bret and zach I tried to get one for Hunter but they don't do them in kids sizes so tell him when i get to Germany in 6 weeks I will send him something way cool in the package i send for brets Birthday!! Grandmas B day is coming up i'll have to send her something!! How is it back home hopefully its going good. It's still pretty dang cold here it snowed today a little when I was walking to the temple and what not. I have not met the new missionarys yet they are all going to the alpine mission and there is only 7 of them the alpine mission is like austria and munich germany so not very close!! I saw taylor i clean his building for service every saturday so thats cool i get to see him he even bought me a dew!! Haha so thats good. Anyways its hard to keep going becuase it's like the same thing everyday here!! Oh i got a valentine from grandma lois today that was nice of her and Gpa chuck dear eldered me yesterday its still good to get support and to hear from everyone! So one more thing my companion is the most forgetful person there is in the world he forgot his watch in the temple pants today so we had to run all the way back and get it and we are always late cause he forgets something!! It gets on my nerves a little bit but thats ok!! Im gonna bear a little testimony in german!! Ich wise dass das Buch Mormon war ist und Ich wise dass das joseph smith war propheten ist und er wiederhergestellte das evangelium und die kirche Jesu Christi. Ich wise dass das durch der sühnopfer wir können zurruckkehren mit gott und glucklich sein!! Anyways thanks for the support love you much!!

Love Elder Voran

WEEK 2 1-28-11 - 2-3-11

Hello!!!

I am gonna start by answering the questions!! Yes my comp will be my comp for the rest of the time i am here. My whole district is going to Berlin all eight of us so that is cool!! Funny story so Elder Cox the one who is a bit odd told my comp the spirit told him not to eat spicey food anymore!! slightly odd I dont remember if i told dad that Vaughn dear eldedred me so did aunt tiff its so cool to hear how everyone is doing and how everything is going. Also i will send my sd card when i get some good pics on there!! I love my district the guys in the other room are so cool Russell M. Nelson Grandson is like my bro out here its funny they are all awesome people!! Grandma thanks for the cookies they were awesome its still great to get letters and packages still better than christmas morning!! I havent seen taylor yet but i see boots every thursday he is actually with me right now!!! haha funny ya I only go to the Temple Thursday at 10 am so thatd be cool if i got to see them!! THis week has seriously Flown BY i cant even tell you the first week went by so slow but this week has gone by so fast its ridiculous!!. I'll be in germany before i know it. I guess i need the other 6 and a half weeks cause i am speaking on about a 2yr old German level haha its hard cause the german language has so many cases and you can use all cases in one sentance so it really takes a lot of thought. Gym is good i play basketball everyday usually with elder walter and other kids from my district. My comp doesnt play but that is the cool thing about gym you dont have to be with your comp because there are so many elders there that your always with and elder ya know. THats so cool the Jayhawks are back to #2 even cooler they kicked K states BUTT. I also love getting sports updates so thats good too!! Im so grateful too all of you who support me and have written me and stuff its so great!! Joseph Smiths Experience ( we cant call it a story here) but his experience is so legit what a stud he straight up left everything for something he believed and knew was true!! I hope i can be that diligent and have that understanding and just lose myself in the work!! He is seriously like my Hero he went through so much!! so one of my teachers just got home from my mission like 5 months ago he is so legit soo soo spiritual i love it when he teaches!! THanks again for everyones thoughts prayers and e mails i am praying for you all so much too!! I miss Iyrlend and Easton so much its hard I wont be there to see them grow up but i will be back before you know it!! tell Hunter to keep the letters coming!! I cant wait for the package. SO Joseph Smith is Legit. the book of mormon is true. Jesus Lives. God Loves us all and through Christ we can all return!! (use this for my blog too)

Ps. Keep the letters coming

Love Elder Voran

WEEK 1 1-19-11 - 1-27-11

Week 1

 

So I can not believe I have already been here for a week how crazy is that!!! It was really hard at first but I am finally settling in!! I have only gotten letters from my family so all you people who said you'd write me and haven't thanks a ton!! haha im just kidding but really. Here in the MTC its so awesome to get mail it really keeps your spirits up!! so dear elder me or something!! anyways ive been learning a lot about the gospel!! The language is coming along very well because my teachers only speak german so i have to pick it up or i dont learn anything! My companion is Elder Gibson he is From Las Vegas he is a funny dude much different than me more of a punk rock kind of guy haha so its funny but we get along good we are kinda the jokesters of the group. My district is sweet there is 8 of us elders and we all have a good time well sometimes i guess because I didnt know it was against the rules to laugh be happy and crack jokes while your hear in the mtc hmm i guess it is!! I just want you all to know that this was the best decision i ever made and i have only been here a week. I can already feel my testimony growing so much and especially about the Savior!!. Just focus on his life and his atonement and you will find so much joy in life!! well this one is short but i dont have much time i promise it will be longer next week!! also thanks everyone for the support!! I miss all my family and friends like crazy (mostly my family cause they are the only ones that care enough to write) :) but thanks everyone and have a great week!! Untill next week tons of Love!!

 

ps. Friends write Me!!

 

Love Elder Voran.

Final Farwell's and the Big Day

January 17, 2011

Last goodbye to Chase, Taylor, Alex, Kaleb and Clark

Christian was set apart as a full time missionary on January 17, 2011 by President Henderson.

January 18, 2011

Last goodbyes to all the family.

January 19, 2011

The Big Day

Lunch on the way to the MTC

 MTC

Drive by drop off