Dear Friends and Family,
I have some terrific news...KRISTI IS GETTING BAPTIZED ON WEDNESDAY! It is going to be awesome. She asked me to be a witness for it.
Earlier this week, we got a different car. Mom, I remember you asking either Dustin or Brady about buying one. Do not EVER buy a mission car.
It is going great so far. I get to play basketball every p-day, so that is nice, and I'm also learning how to play lacrosse, which is huge here in Colorado. It is seriously the most fun sport I have ever played!
How is everyone is the YSA doing? Everyone that is left at least? I hope everyone is doing awesome. Congratulations to Gavin on finding a job in the happiest place on earth. And congratulations to Dustin for graduating and finally starting your job!
Keep me posted. I'd love to hear from everybody. I love you all.
Love,
Kepler
Monday, April 30, 2012
Monday, April 23, 2012
April 23, 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
It is a ton of fun being here in Colorado! Mom and Dad, you should move here after I get home!
This week went pretty well. We had another lesson with Elizabeth and Kristi and they are both progressing. Andy, another investigator, wants to be baptized, so that is way awesome too. There is a lady named Lorie Harrel who was baptized before I got here who has 6 kids that are not baptized. She wants us to teach them--so I am excited about that.
My mission is going great, and there is no place that I would rather be!!! I love everyone so much , and I would love to receive some letters from all of my friends!
Love you all!
Love,
Kepler
It is a ton of fun being here in Colorado! Mom and Dad, you should move here after I get home!
This week went pretty well. We had another lesson with Elizabeth and Kristi and they are both progressing. Andy, another investigator, wants to be baptized, so that is way awesome too. There is a lady named Lorie Harrel who was baptized before I got here who has 6 kids that are not baptized. She wants us to teach them--so I am excited about that.
My mission is going great, and there is no place that I would rather be!!! I love everyone so much , and I would love to receive some letters from all of my friends!
Love you all!
Love,
Kepler
Monday, April 16, 2012
April 16, 2012
Kepler sent me pictures this week. :) These were all taken while he was in the MTC.
And now for excerpts from his email...
Dear Friends and Family,
This week was fantastic! We are still teaching Kristi and Elizabeth and they are both doing awesome! Kristi is getting baptized on May 2nd. We don't have a date set for Elizabeth yet, but I'm sure we will in the near future. We're also teaching a kid named Andy who said he wants to be baptized as well. We need to teach him a few more times. We are also working with a lot of less-active people. Some of them seem to still have an interest, but others seem to hate the church.
The mileage we are allowed to put on the car was cut back last week. We only had 146 and we typically have 250 so it was hard to stay under. There were 2 days when we didn't even touch the car and we still went over 6 miles. We were given 180 this week, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Right now I'm borrowing a bike from our Elder's Quorum President...who is awesome. He's super nice, but he is very blunt and he swears. He reminds me of Dustin, I love it. Everything here is so awesome.
Every now and then when President Mayes wants to do a training and people can't make it from all over the place, we do it on a conference call. It's kind of cool, but it can be difficult to concentrate sometimes. In the mornings, sometimes I can be extremely tired and I think, "why am I so much more tired right now?" And then I go and take my Adderall and after that I'm way on top of my game! Haha.
I love it here, everyone needs to write me more!
Love,
Kepler
And now for excerpts from his email...
Dear Friends and Family,
This week was fantastic! We are still teaching Kristi and Elizabeth and they are both doing awesome! Kristi is getting baptized on May 2nd. We don't have a date set for Elizabeth yet, but I'm sure we will in the near future. We're also teaching a kid named Andy who said he wants to be baptized as well. We need to teach him a few more times. We are also working with a lot of less-active people. Some of them seem to still have an interest, but others seem to hate the church.
The mileage we are allowed to put on the car was cut back last week. We only had 146 and we typically have 250 so it was hard to stay under. There were 2 days when we didn't even touch the car and we still went over 6 miles. We were given 180 this week, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Right now I'm borrowing a bike from our Elder's Quorum President...who is awesome. He's super nice, but he is very blunt and he swears. He reminds me of Dustin, I love it. Everything here is so awesome.
Every now and then when President Mayes wants to do a training and people can't make it from all over the place, we do it on a conference call. It's kind of cool, but it can be difficult to concentrate sometimes. In the mornings, sometimes I can be extremely tired and I think, "why am I so much more tired right now?" And then I go and take my Adderall and after that I'm way on top of my game! Haha.
I love it here, everyone needs to write me more!
Love,
Kepler
Monday, April 9, 2012
April 9, 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
I made it safe to Colorado.
My new address is:
Elder Kepler Ridge
5579 W Maplewood Pl.
Littleton, CO 80123
My first week was great here in the field. My first night I stayed at President Mayne's house and then I was able to meet my trainer the next day. My companion's name is Elder Wallace. He has only been out for 2 transfers, so barely longer than me. The district I am in is very young. There are 8 of us. We have 1 person that is going home this transfer, but after him the next oldest is 10 months, and then 6 months, and then the people that have been out as long as I have.
Colorado is absolutely awesome. It is beautiful and has the best weather! I saw the stadium where the Broncos play and it is a sweet looking stadium.On top of that, there are medical marijuana dispensaries all over the place! It's a joke how many places that you can get weed legally. There is one guy that someone in our district was teaching who wanted to be baptized, but they said he couldn't smoke pot anymore even if it was legal. Unfortunately, I guess he decided to not get baptized.
This week we visited a less active guy who is pretty old and cannot see well. I felt super bad for him. His grandkids live with him and he was telling us how great all of them are. As he was telling us this, one of them walked through and I don't think he even noticed that she was carrying a piece and a baggy of weed in her hand, and she absolutely reeked of cheap marijuana. He was completely oblivious to what had just happened. Anyway, he had been smoking for 45 years and when the missionaries asked him to stop, he said a prayer and woke up the next day, and did not even want to smoke. It has been 8 weeks since he smoked and he has no desire to start smoking again. :)
We went to another ladies house, and we were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation. So many things kept interfering with the discussion. Her phone rang like 10 times, and then her son came home and kept asking her when she was going to take him to the mall. We did not get to finish the lesson, but she wants us to come back and keep teaching her, so that is sweet.
We are also teaching a girl named Kristi who is a senior in high school and she just decided to get baptized. She asked if it would be okay if her friend Elizabeth came to our next lesson. She came, and we taught about the Restoration. The following day, Kristi texted us to let us know that Elizabeth wants to start coming to all the lessons.
We had a district meeting at the church building and there were 4 cop cars sitting in the parking lot with a kid sitting handcuffed outside the door. Yesterday, I was greeting people at church, and he walked in with his mom. He just looked mad at the world.
Anyway, I live in a house with Brother and Sister Spencer. They are way cool, and I am glad to live with them. It is kind of nuts where we live though. Every year growing up I heard about the shootings at Columbine High School, and I live about a half mile away from it. I literally see it every day. Every time I pass by it I just think of what happened there. There is still a leery feeling at the school. Two of Sister Spencer's children were there when the shootings happened, but they did not get hurt or anything. There is a nice memorial behind the school.
It is great here. I love the mission so much! I love you all and love to get letters! Don't forget the church is true, the book is blue, and Moroni is always on the ball!
Love,
Kepler
P.S. My first night here I saw Arapahoe High School which is where John Moore graduated. Can someone ask Kara or Kendra to get the Moore's address in Colorado so that I can write John?
I made it safe to Colorado.
My new address is:
Elder Kepler Ridge
5579 W Maplewood Pl.
Littleton, CO 80123
My first week was great here in the field. My first night I stayed at President Mayne's house and then I was able to meet my trainer the next day. My companion's name is Elder Wallace. He has only been out for 2 transfers, so barely longer than me. The district I am in is very young. There are 8 of us. We have 1 person that is going home this transfer, but after him the next oldest is 10 months, and then 6 months, and then the people that have been out as long as I have.
Colorado is absolutely awesome. It is beautiful and has the best weather! I saw the stadium where the Broncos play and it is a sweet looking stadium.On top of that, there are medical marijuana dispensaries all over the place! It's a joke how many places that you can get weed legally. There is one guy that someone in our district was teaching who wanted to be baptized, but they said he couldn't smoke pot anymore even if it was legal. Unfortunately, I guess he decided to not get baptized.
This week we visited a less active guy who is pretty old and cannot see well. I felt super bad for him. His grandkids live with him and he was telling us how great all of them are. As he was telling us this, one of them walked through and I don't think he even noticed that she was carrying a piece and a baggy of weed in her hand, and she absolutely reeked of cheap marijuana. He was completely oblivious to what had just happened. Anyway, he had been smoking for 45 years and when the missionaries asked him to stop, he said a prayer and woke up the next day, and did not even want to smoke. It has been 8 weeks since he smoked and he has no desire to start smoking again. :)
We went to another ladies house, and we were teaching her about the Plan of Salvation. So many things kept interfering with the discussion. Her phone rang like 10 times, and then her son came home and kept asking her when she was going to take him to the mall. We did not get to finish the lesson, but she wants us to come back and keep teaching her, so that is sweet.
We are also teaching a girl named Kristi who is a senior in high school and she just decided to get baptized. She asked if it would be okay if her friend Elizabeth came to our next lesson. She came, and we taught about the Restoration. The following day, Kristi texted us to let us know that Elizabeth wants to start coming to all the lessons.
We had a district meeting at the church building and there were 4 cop cars sitting in the parking lot with a kid sitting handcuffed outside the door. Yesterday, I was greeting people at church, and he walked in with his mom. He just looked mad at the world.
Anyway, I live in a house with Brother and Sister Spencer. They are way cool, and I am glad to live with them. It is kind of nuts where we live though. Every year growing up I heard about the shootings at Columbine High School, and I live about a half mile away from it. I literally see it every day. Every time I pass by it I just think of what happened there. There is still a leery feeling at the school. Two of Sister Spencer's children were there when the shootings happened, but they did not get hurt or anything. There is a nice memorial behind the school.
It is great here. I love the mission so much! I love you all and love to get letters! Don't forget the church is true, the book is blue, and Moroni is always on the ball!
Love,
Kepler
P.S. My first night here I saw Arapahoe High School which is where John Moore graduated. Can someone ask Kara or Kendra to get the Moore's address in Colorado so that I can write John?
Thursday, March 29, 2012
March 28, 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
So the MTC is going GREAT!
I absolutely love being here serving the Lord. It is hard to believe that in just a few days
I will be in Denver for two
years! But I am ready to go.
I sprained my ankle.
I had to be on crutches for 2 days and now I’m not allowed to do
anything at the gym unless I’m wearing a brace.
It is all better now and does not bother me at all.
I have gotten to see a ton of my friends while I have been
here. I saw Weston, Matt, and Clark, and
then on top of that I have gotten to see Spencer and Brady too which is
awesome. I am not really sure what else
to write because everything pretty much goes the same. I like my district, but I think I could only
handle having one of them as a companion which is lucky because he is the one
that I am companions with.
I would love to hear from everyone! I’ll put my Denver
address in my next email. But I love
being here! I know the Church is true
and can help anyone and everyone better their lives! I love you all.
Love,
Kepler
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
March 21, 2012
Dear Friends and Family,
I LOVE it here. It is
so awesome! My companion’s name is Elder
Searle and he is great. The first week
here has been overwhelming but awesome at the same time. A lot of people give the MTC a bad wrap, but
I like it. It is funny today seeing all
of the new missionaries that got here today and just look lost because that was
me a week ago. But it was pretty easy to
catch on to so it’s not bad at all. My
teachers are great too. Their names are
Brother Coffman and Sister Cutler. They
help everyone out so much, I love it.
I saw Mariah on Sunday evening so that was pretty cool because she is the only person I have seen that I know from home. I saw my friend Clark that teaches here and that was super awesome too, he helped me out a lot the other day.
Right now I am “teaching” 4 people. It is a great experience and a good way to learn how to teach effectively. I am so eager to get out to Colorado though! I am still waiting to see Brady and Spencer soon hopefully. But I love the Church and everything about it. I am so glad I have the opportunity to teach others what I know to be true and help them in their lives! I love you all!
I saw Mariah on Sunday evening so that was pretty cool because she is the only person I have seen that I know from home. I saw my friend Clark that teaches here and that was super awesome too, he helped me out a lot the other day.
Right now I am “teaching” 4 people. It is a great experience and a good way to learn how to teach effectively. I am so eager to get out to Colorado though! I am still waiting to see Brady and Spencer soon hopefully. But I love the Church and everything about it. I am so glad I have the opportunity to teach others what I know to be true and help them in their lives! I love you all!
Love,
Kepler
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Reporting the the MTC
Elder Kepler Ridge reported to the MTC on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 All 4 of his brothers, Perry, Jonathan, Dustin, and Brady were able to be there to drop him off as well as his grandparents, Ross & Bonnie Whatcott, his nephew, Michael, and his favorite sister-in-law, Kristina. (No need to tell you who will be updating this blog regularly.) :)
Some of these were posted on Facebook already, but here are the pictures that were taken that day.
I'll be adding snidbits of his emails as they come.
Good luck Elder Ridge!
Some of these were posted on Facebook already, but here are the pictures that were taken that day.
I'll be adding snidbits of his emails as they come.
Good luck Elder Ridge!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Called to Serve
Hello Everyone!
I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the next two years. I will be serving in the Denver, Colorado area. If you would like to stay in touch with me, you can write me letters. My address will be updated on this blog. For now, the address that you can write me at is
Elder Kepler Taylor Ridge
MTC Mailbox #245
CO-DENS 0402
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
I can be written at this address for the next three weeks after which it will be updated on here as well as a weekly email. If you do write me and would like to be written back, please write your address in the letter, but if for some reason I do not write you back, I am very sorry as I am sure I will be extremely busy. I would love to hear from all of you and I will see you all in two years!
Love,
Kepler
I will be serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for the next two years. I will be serving in the Denver, Colorado area. If you would like to stay in touch with me, you can write me letters. My address will be updated on this blog. For now, the address that you can write me at is
Elder Kepler Taylor Ridge
MTC Mailbox #245
CO-DENS 0402
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793
I can be written at this address for the next three weeks after which it will be updated on here as well as a weekly email. If you do write me and would like to be written back, please write your address in the letter, but if for some reason I do not write you back, I am very sorry as I am sure I will be extremely busy. I would love to hear from all of you and I will see you all in two years!
Love,
Kepler
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