Upcoming Events!!

So, the blogger behind the scenes has been slacking lately! But, hey! I need your help! Send me whatever you'd like posted on this blog to scmission@live.com :) Here's what's going on lately:

Farewells:

Tyler Monks
Sunday, October 17 - 9 am
Ivins Stake Center
276 East 1060 South
Ivins, UT

Farewells I missed!!
Elder Clark Anderson - Brazil
Elder Andrew Johnston - Chile

Sorry Elders Anderson and Johnston - we wish you all the best on your mission and know that you will both be amazing!!

In other news! Elder Zack Rogers left for his mission in Ghana and is doing really well!! Elder Chase Frei (South Korea), Elder Blake Ovard (Japan) and Elder Adam Hine (Panama) are also doing well and adjusting to their languages and countries very well!!

Elder Mike Bergren is already on the home stretch!! He reached his one year mark somewhere around July 20th :) Congratulations Elder Bergren!! We'll see you sooner than any of us thinks!!

Farewell al a Frei

Soon to be Elder Chase Frei's farewell will be held this coming Sunday, May 23 at 11:00 am in the Santa Clara Valley Chapel. Hope to see you all there :D

Also - check out all our missionaries personal blogs with the link right over there ----> Enjoy!

Congratulations Zack Rogers!!!

Zack Rogers received his call today and has been called to serve in the Ghana Cape Coast Mission!!!! This is the first EVER missionary I personally have heard of being called to Africa! So, I did a little research on this mission and here's what I've found:

The Ghana Cape Coast Mission covers the western half of Ghana as well as the countries of Togo, Benin, Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

The Ghana Cape Coast Mission includes 13,590 members organized among the Cape Coast Ghana, Kumasi Ghana and Takoradi Ghana stakes, and the Assin Foso Ghana and Swedru Ghana districts.

Congratulations Zack! We look forward to hearing about your awesome mission!!

Zack will report to the Ghana MTC on September 3, 2010.

Comings and Goings :D

Attention All :) We have a some farewells and a homecoming on the horizon!!

Homecoming:

Elder Dallin Harris

March 28, 2010 @ 9:00 am

Pioneer Parkway Chapel - Santa Clara, UT

Farewells:

Elder Alex Knox

March 21, 2010 @ 11:00 am

Santa Clara Valley Chapel - Santa Clara, UT

Elder Nate Mitchell

March 28, 2010 @ 1:00 pm

Santa Clara Valley Chapel - Santa Clara, UT

Congratulations Chase Frei!!

Chase Frei received his call to Seoul, South Korea!!! Congratulations Chase! We'll miss you!! And good luck with their delicious food - I've heard heard great things about it!

Congratulations Nate Mitchell!!

Nate received his call to Salvador, Brazil a LONG time ago and I just heard about it this week! Sorry, Nate, if you read this :D Congrats on a very cool place to serve!! Today is also Nate's Birthday! Happy birthday, Nate! We're so proud of you!

Adios Elder Ovard & Elder Molina

Elder Blake Ovard and Jesus (Junior) Molina's farewell address will be on Sunday February 21 at 1:00 pm at the Santa Clara Valley chapel. Come show your support for these two amazing future Missionaries!

3040 Santa Clara Drive

Santa Clara, Ut

See you there!! Good luck boys!

Show Some Love with SC MISSIONARY BUTTONS!!!

Buttons are finally here!! Support our blog and our boys by posting one of our new buttons on YOUR blog!! If you don't know how - copy the code underneath the button you want - go to add a gadget on your dashboard and paste! Voila!! Pass the word along!! Spread the word (just like our boys are :D)

Congratulations Blake Ovard!

Another belated congrats to soon to be Elder Ovard for his mission call to Sendai, Japan!! Congrats Blake!!

Congratulations Alex Knox!

Congrats to soon to be Elder Knox for his mission call to Tucson, Arizona!! More updates to come

You can be on our blog!!

Please remember that you or your missionary can be on our blog!! Just email scmission@live.com and we'll set them up! We want to keep tabs on everyone, so send us your stuff!!

Almost 6 months

Well Mike has been out for almost 6 months! Its so exciting. He had his first companion transfer last week! He says its hard cause the guy is Filipino and doesn't speak English and Mike says "I don't speak much Tagalog." I am sure they will find a way. He says he love it there at the people are amazing and there is one brother who always feeds him! haha He has to take "lovely cold bucket showers" He told us last week in a letter that he was at the Mission Presidents house and saw two animals playing outta the corner of his eye and he thought they were cats, he took a closer look and sure enough they were RATS! EWW he said it was so weird! Someone in his region got baptised about 2 weeks ago another member did it but Michael was very excited! When he writes me he always tells me the best things and gives me advice! Its so hard cause he is my baby brother and shouldn't be giving me such wonderful advice! :( I will write again soon sorry I haven't been keeping up very well!

He made it safe!

Mike made it to Naga in one piece! He was so nervous traveling because he was in charge of all 50 missionaries traveling to the Philippines! haha It was a default but last name! It was so amazing speaking to him on the phone! He sounds great! He speaks Tagalog every well and fluently! The last we talked to him was when he was in Taipei and then it was only for a minute because the calling cards dont work there! I was SO sad! When we found out about the Typhoon I was so worried cause I didnt know if it had hit his area or not! But we got an e-mail today and he had this to say. "Holy Smokes!!!! Thats all I have to say about the Pines (Philippines) it is nuts here! My new companion is so sweet! His name is Elder Dewey! He is from Saraques, UT. It is so crazy here! Me and Elder Dewey just tract all day because we opened up a new area! So we just tract and talk to everyone its way fun but hard! Oh wel I love it!!! :) It is so so so so HOT! and about the Bagio (Storm) it wasn't bad here nothing really happened just rained alot! And when you aren't wet from the rain you are wet from sweat! Our area is way cool because we are just in this little town but then we have jungle in our area and a city! Everyone here is so nice I dont really talk much and they always get mad and tell me to speak up and they all understand english, but I tell them to speak Tagalog so I can learn! They say they will if I will speak up! Yesterday at church we had to introduce ourselves and I was so scared! Everyone tels me I speak way good Tagalog but I dont think so! When we were in Sunday school this lady that was teaching was talking about people understanding the gospel and she knew I was new here so she made me stand up and was like " You are a very attractive young man and girls here will just want to listen to you because you are very good looking" I was so so so embarrassed! It was so funny! My companion has been her for a year. He was teling me the first day we went out that there are some crazy people and girls will always stare at you and I didn't believe him. The first girl we saw was like " oh dang amerikono" I busted up laughing! The traffic and the "jeepne's" are nuts! Sometimes when we have to take one they are so full you are just holding on with one arm. Our house is crazy! It really is lke a 2 year camping trip! We have a mouse that we have been trying to kill for a couple of days, but its to fast! We has to fill up this barrel with water and then pour water on our heads witht his pitcher thing. Its only me and Elder Dewey so it is pretty fun because he is like one of the bro's back home! They have these belts that are pretty sweet that they make in my area so I am going to get some! Love and miss you all!" He is already having so much fun it sounds like! Can't wait to hear from him again!

Sa Kanyang Paraan (On his way)

So Mike writes often and lets us know he is doing well and that the Tagalog is coming better everyday! He has told us lots of amazing missionary stories so I will write a few on here. He tells us about a missionary that left for the Philippines a few weeks ago and how he will never forget the talk he gave. He said, " This mission is not easy. In fact I can guarantee you it will be THEE absolute hardest thing you will ever do in your life, but Elders and Sisters if it was easy it wouldn't even be worth it, because anything that is easy isn't worth it." Mike thinks the same thing! He tells us how him and Elder Fine were supposed to teach a lesson in Tagalog one night and then were told they had to teach it in English and totally couldn't remember how! Cause they were so used to the Tagalog! Its so funny how things can become what you know and you forget! The last story I will write about he says is his "first real" missionary experience. He tells us that Elder Fine had to go to the Doctor so they were at the hospital and I will just write the rest in his own words. " Right when we walked in the doors of the hospital a lady and man stopped us. they asked if we could give their Father a blessing. We told them we could after my Companions appointment. After we were done with the appointment we went upstairs. Just before we went in the part of the hospital to give this man a blessing a lady that spoke little English came up to us and asking if we spoke Spanish? We said we didn't, she then asked if we could still give her sister a blessing. We told her we could and would speak with her and her family after blessing the first man. We went back to his room and he had already had a blessing. We went out to the waiting room and spoke with the second ladies family. They told us that her sister had been in a car accident. She had had almost the same things wrong with her as Christian did. It was about 6 and I knew the last shuttle came at 7. They told us we couldn't go back and bless her until 7! I told Elder Fine that I didn't care and that we could walk back if we had to. we sat and talked with this family for an hour and a half. The woman's little boy spoke both Spanish and English so he translated for us! After we talked with them for a while the lady told us that she had said a prayer and when she had finished and looked up we had walked through the doors. She said she knew God has sent us! I told her that I agreed. She went on to tell us that her and her Family were LDS but they hadn't been going to Church or praying. Her and her husband said that they were going to change that. i was so happy when they said this. It was the coolest thing ever to just sit and talk to this family! When 7 rolled around I was so scared cause I had never given a blessing before. We went back and Elder Fine did the first part of the blessing and I did the second part. When we finished the sister was crying and told us she knew everything was going to work out! It was the best experience ever! I couldn't believe that you could fall in love with a family in that amount of time!" I cried when I read this because I can see the love that he is finding for people! He leaves for the Philippines tomorrow the 21st! but wont actually arrive in Naga until the 24th. He flies out of SLC to LA then from LA to Taipei Taiwan. From there to Manila then I am not sure how he will get to Naga on plane or boat. He is so excited to get over there! But he says he is scared to! I cant wait to talk to him and let him know how proud I am and how much I love and miss him!

It's been fixed!!

Ok, since I've received about 15 emails saying that stripling was spelled wrong in the URL, I've fixed it! So, update your blogs to www.scstriplingwarriors.blogspot.com!

Keep Following! We love our Missionaries!

Welcome Home Elder Frei!!!

We'd like to welcome home Elder Mitch Frei! He JUST flew into the Salt Lake City airport, like, 30 minutes ago! I was emailed this picture so I thought I'd share it with you!! Welcome home, Elder! We can't wait to here about your adventure!! Mitch will report his mission this coming Sunday, September 6 at 9:00 in the Santa Clara Valley Chapel.

Aww Full Tagalog

So we got to letters from Mike last week. He says things are going great. He says the Tagalog is coming slowly but surely! He tells us he was getting down on himself and discouraged but one day he decided that God has called him to the Philippines and whether he knows two words or the whole launguage when he leaves the MTC he will do what the Lord wants. His favorite place is the RC. He likes it cause he gets to talk to "real people" and answer their questions. He told us this story, "I talked toa girl named Liz yesterday she was very confused. Her grandparents just died ad she is 25. She was wondering if there was a life after this one. i taught her the whole 2 lessons on the Plan of Salvation! It was Awesome! I figured out like when you teach someone every little thing you have ever red and studied about pops into your head when you are teaching. i just remember while I was teaching her I found Scriptures I didn't even know i knew! We talked for about an hour. She allowed me to send her the Book of Mormon! She told me she was going to read about the restoration in Moroni 10: 3-5, she was going to pray to know if it is true! I also taught her how to pray! It was probably the best experience I have had yet!" He has such amazing stories to share! He wrote again on Thursday to say it was his last day of speaking English full time! He tells us how his district did a compliment circle. That is where someone is "spotlighted" and everyone in the district says the good things about them. It was only supposed to only take an hour and they didnt finish and the took over 2 hours that night! With 4 more to go! This is what they said about him. He has a great love for his family. He keeps the picture we took before he went into the MTC in his scriptures! He says he is so happy that we have been there for him his whole life! He says his favroite place to study is right out front of the MTC. he says its nice to see civilization! We miss him so much and love hearing from him! And we love him to pieces! Cant wait to hear from him again!

Learning lots!

He has written to tell us that he only has 2 more weeks before he has to speak full Tagalog. he says that he can speak and have a 5 minute conversation with someone! He says he has Temple every Monday and he always looks forward to it! He seems to be doin great! I love him and miss him so much! I am so very proud of the work he is doin!

More news!

So we got like three letters today! :) He says he is feeling better but still a little sick! He says Adam made it and they "balled it up!" He had his second T.A. (teaching appointment) Its where you teach volenteers, he says, "they always go great! You feel the spirit so much!" Now I will just put in some things he said... "The language is so hard. it is starting to come a little bit! My companion is still awesome everyone is still good! Some days are good and some are bad, but I just have to remember why I am here! But I love it!" He told us this awesome story so here ya go, "I was at this place called the RC (referal center) Its where people call to order free stuff. So this man named Steven called! I could tell he was confused about many things! He called to order a video. For some reason I decided to ask Steven what he thought about God and Jesus Christ! He went on to tell me there was no such thing. Our conversation went on for about an hour. I told Steven what I knew about God and Jesus Christ. I pretty much gave him the first disscussion! When the call was about over I asked Steven what he was thinking? He said for some reason he knew what I was saying was true! He also told me he thought there was a greater power and I asked him to pray and ask for the truth! He said he would and he also said he would let the missionary's come over and teach him! :) I honestly think it was one of the most happy moments that I have ever had in my life! I know that he was there and called me for a reason!" He says sometimes he feels like giving up, but then he remembers what Jesus did for him and he totally changes his mind! He watched a talk given by Elder Holland called A Miracle of a Missionary. He says you WILL regret not going on a mission but i can almost garentee you wont if you do! Also if you are home sick it is normal in fact if you aren't then there is something wrong with you! :) He goes on to tell it is great there, but the hardest work he has ever done! But he loves it! He wrote an e-mail saying he help a friend of his stay at the MTC. He says he could not imagine himself anywhere else but where he is! He wrote us his testimony in Tagalog so here it goes, "Alam ko na buhay si Jesucristo at ama sa langet. Alam do na mga anak ng Diyos tayo. Alam do na sagleta ng Diyos Aklatni Mormon. Alam ko na propeta ng doyos sina Jeseph Smith at Thomas S Monson sa Pangolan ni Jesucristo. Amen." It translates in to, "I know Jesus Christ and our Father in heaven live. I know that we are all children of God. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know Joseph Smith and Thomas S Monson are Prophets of God. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. He finishes his letters with "Mahal Kita Tayo!" Meaning I love you! He says he misses everyone but is enjoying this adventure to the fullest! I love and miss him lots!

Just a Thought

I have been trying to find this song that Mike had me listen to before he left on an EFY CD he had bought. I finally found it and cried for like the first three times i heard it! haha but its called Beautiful to Him by Rachel Thibodeau. Tori and I wanted to add it to the playlist on here but didnt want to lose the other songs if I did. But Tori was telling me its one of Mike's favorite so check it out! Its so Mike, I remember him singing it to me! He is so good! I miss him lots!

Mikey:[

This was the saddest day of my lifetime! Sorry i didn't post this forever ago i had no idea how to but this was the last day for two years:[ I really wish he would smile:[

Study Hard!

This was a picture of Mike and his companion studying in their rooms but it didn't fit in the envelope so its a picture of Michael studying really hard in his room:] or maybe he is asleep....

Elder Bergren and Elder Fine

Two Studly Tagalog learnin missionaries!That i Love and Miss:]

Michaels District

The Missionary to the left of Mike was sent home that day sadly! This is all the Elders in Mike's district who he loves:]

News from Mikey!

This is Mike's sister Brittany, as many of your look at this site I am the one who wrote on his phone to tell you about it! I want you all to know that Mike is doing great! Today him and is companion have a fever but I hope by the time I am writing this they are better and up for tomorrow! Tomorrow Tori will be posting some pictures of Mike while he has been there. I got a letter yesterday he said he is having a great time! He made me laugh he says he doesnt miss his phone one bit! Which is funny cause we all know how attached to it he was! ;) These are his exact words, " I am way to busy to miss it! You are always doing something here! i have to write like half a letter a night! Today has been alright the days seem long when its day then when its time for bed it seems so short!" I had to laugh he must love the go go go life he always has! He told my mom he taught his first lesson Monday night and it was awesome! But he still has alot to learn! I miss him to much but he is doing great things!

We Love Elder Bergren

I just received a letter from Elder Bergren that he wanted me to post on here :) So, here it goes!

For the Blog,
Hey Everyone! Well it's almost my second week here at the MTC - it is pretty fun being here, but also the hardest thing I have ever done! My companions name is Elder Fine Isuloi! He is Tongan. He is from New Zeland thought! Elder Fine is probably the sweetest kid here at the MTC. Going on a mission is the hardest thing I have done! At the same time I love it though. There is no better place for me than right here at the MTC. The food is pretty good! You can eat as much as you want!! I always try to out eat my comp. but I never do. My district is Awesome. We have been through a lot already! One of the kids in our district got sent home the other day, but it has brought us all really close together! Well I don't really have much to say! Oh yeah! The pass along tie is going to Adam this week. The only rule is when you get it, you can't trade it! Because I have passed up some good trades!! So, I hope no one trades for it! Thanks for everything! I love and miss everyone! Love, Elder Bergren.


We miss Elder B. too and hope he has a blast at the MTC and a safe trip to the Philippines! Hopefully we'll hear from him soon!!

Adios Elder Hine

Elder Adam Hine left us today for the MTC! He'll be serving his mission in Panama! We wish him the best of luck and we'll hear from him soon!! We love you Adam!!

Elder Bergren's First Letters

Hello everyone this is Mike's mom. As of yesterday Mike has been in the MTC for 1 week. We have already received 2 letters.

His first letter came last Saturday. He said that it was hard, but that he would push through because the Lord has given him so much. His companion is Awesome!!! His name is Elder Fineisalo, he is from New Zeland.

Today I got a Birthday Card from him. He started out "Kumusta Po Kayo?" It means "Hello, how are you?" He said that he is really starting to like it at the MTC and one of the sisters told them that when they get down they need to read Alma 7: 11-12. He said that going on a mission is the BEST decision he has ever made. He misses everyone.

For those who want to write:

Elder Michael Bergren
MTC Mailbox 263
Phil-Nag 0921
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

I still need to download his MTC pictures. I will have them on by Sunday. Thanks too all of you who have supported Elder Bergren through the last several years.

Til We Meet Again Mike Bergren!

We recently just said our farewells to Elder Mike Bergren who will be serving in the Philippines! We wish you the best of luck Elder Bergren. We love you and know you will be an amazing messenger of the gospel! Keep tuned for more info on Elder Bergren's adventure!

And they will go forth, two by two.

Welcome to Snow Canyon's Missionary Blog! I created this for the boys of SC's 2009 class to keep in touch with each other! But, anyone can join! If you want your son, or daughter, to be on this blog to share their amazing experience in serving our Lord, email me and I'll do what I can! scmission@live.com

I hope everyone enjoys this blog, and we can all keep tabs on our favorite missionaries!