Monday, August 22, 2011

First Week in Homer!

Hey everyone,

so everythings good, Alaskas good. Its been rainy almost everyday but pretty here. In Anchorage at the mission home we all ate Mucktuck, its whale blubber, and its disgusting. But I like my mission president, president Beesley, he retired a year ago or something like that, hes the best test pilot in the USA, when theyre testing out a new fighter jet they call him. He was the first person to fly the f-33 and hes done a ton of top secret stuff too, its pretty cool. The Time Bandit from The Deadliest Catch docks here in Homer. Its pretty cool, I havent seen it yet because its still out fishing. Homers a tourist attraction and Its where cruise ships come bring tourists. We went out to the spit, and we met some LDS families out there. And we talked to a russian guy out there too. When we were talking to the russian some people were taking pictures of us, it was kinda funny, the russians dont dress that good but are rich. The spits where the time bandit docks, and the tourist shops are, and its where you go to get on a fishing boat. The spits pretty much a skinny piece of land that stretches out into the ocean. It has the same feel as James Town {Georgetown} in Cayman, because of all the tourist shops and tourists walking around. Homers good. Its got some really weird people. We do lots of service here, on wednesday we mowed lawns and cloroxed the roof of a house, on the houses here, moss grows and so to kill the moss or stop it from growing you put clorox bleach on your roof. And on Friday we helped some investigators butcher chickens. It was pretty gross, my companion, elder Butler killed them and I plucked them. I was gonna kill too until I watched him do it first. What you do is tie their feet so they're upside down, and you cut their throat to kill them and let them bleed out and die, then you take them and pluck them. I didnt want to kill them because they would scream and flap their wings, and the blade was pretty dull so it took a little bit to kill them, I didnt want to do that. So I helped pluck them and then later we packaged the meat. And it was super rainy and cold that day too. So thats been the service part so far. We do alot of tracting, its so worthless, no one lets you in, its like theyre all hiding from people and dont want to see anyone. And some people will hide, and youll see them in the window but they still wont answer the door, or youll see them look in the peep hole but wont answer the door, Im pretty sure theyre all afraid of us. The houses here are super spread out too, each house is like 100 yards from each other so you walk like almost a mile to tract part of each road. Its crazy, but the members are good here, and the wards good. We eat at a members house almost every night for dinner. The members definitely feed you good here, and the fresh salmon and halibut is delicious, its a ton better than the salmon and halibut at home. Homers such a small town, its weird, theres only one stop light here and theres only 2 fast food places, mcdonalds and subway. And theres one LDS church in all of Homer. Theres a russian religion here, you dont have to be russian to be in it, you just have to speak russian. Its kinda cool, theres russian villages of just the people in their religion. Everyone in their church has to dress a certain way, the guys cant ever shave their beards, and the guys have to wear this weird flower embroidered shirt, and the girls have to wear these weird hats and dresses. Everyone in their church gets a brand new super nice big truck too. Because when you join their religion everything you make goes to the church but they split it up equally among everyone, and thats whey they all have nice trucks. So whenever theres a nice new truck its a russian almost everytime. My companions elder Butler, hes from Idaho. Hes cool. The work heres way slow, but a non member family that just moved to homer showed up at church yesterday, so theres a good chance theyll be baptized. Thatd be sweet! My Pdays are on Monday. And Ill send some pictures next week, I forgot my card reader at the apartment in the camera case, sorry! But I like it here, its pretty cool, Im doing good.
Love Elder Roney

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

MTC photos!

I had to steal these from Ashton's facebook (oops) but here are some photos from the MTC days

Temple day!
Elder Muhlestein and Elder Roney!

Elder Hulme, Elder Hill, and Elder Roney!

Monday, August 15, 2011

Safe in Alaska!



Hey, so I'm in Anchorage at the mission home. I'm staying here over night and tomorrow I'm going to my assigned area, and that's Homer Alaska. It's like on the south of Alaska, they said it's like the halibut capitol and a big tourist area, it's supposed to be super awesome. So tomorrow sometime I'll head out to Homer. But everything's good here. Sorry the call was so short today, but yeah, we just ate lunch about an hour ago and in an hour and a halfish we go tracting. I'm kinda nervous but it's fine. It feels sort of like the first day in the MTC again. Anyways, I'm doing good, got here safe. Love you guys!
Love Elder Ashton Roney

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Leaving the MTC!

Elder Roney is leaving the MTC to head up to Alaska on August 15!! Here is his new address, so get started on those letters!


Elder Ashton Bradford Roney
Alaska Anchorage Mission
12350 Industry Way Suite 218
Anchorage, AK 99515
United States

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

From Elder Roney

**first letter!!*

Hey everyone!
So the MTC's good, it was kind of hard to adjust for the first few days but im pretty much adjusted for the most part. Still a little tired in the morning but its not bad. Im doing pretty good, i like it here alot. My roomates are all cool, Elder Tebbs played basketball for Snow College, hes way funny. His companion, Elder Hartlys 22, and my companion Elder Beauregards a know everything kind of kid, he said he was a mathlete and got a 5 on the ap calculus b&c test in high school or whatever that class is called. He said he googles random facts for fun, its kind of funny. Its so busy here, its always non stop back to back things we have to do.

Its kind of annoying because you have maybe 2 hours a day to study/free time. I usually have 6 hours of class a day. Gym for about an hour and a half maybe an hour, not sure, but thats my favorite part of the day, I usually run a mile then lift weights, like yesterday I ran a mile then did 60 reps of 230 on the bench press machine and 70 reps of 360 on the leg press. If I dont lift I play volley ball, thats pretty fun. Its super funny to watch people in the gym because theres sooooo many kids that are super uncoordinated and its halarious to watch. One of the elders in my district thinks he tore his acl playing basketball, he got an mri yesterday and another elder broke his collar bone.

But its alot better than people make it sound in here. I actually kind of like it in here, its not that bad, and I see someone I know in the hallway at least once a day. I got pictures with Brayden Hill and James Hulme at the fireside before they left, and I got pictures with everyone that went to OHS. Theres like 15 of us or something like that. Its pretty cool. But Im doing good, I saw the Harrisons at lunch on saturday, that was cool. My branch president knows uncle Burke, Branch President Hemmert. His wife says they were his neighbor or something like that. Also I see Alyssa alot, shes doing good I think, in my district theres 6 elders going to Alaska, then in other districts theres 3 more elders and Alyssa so theres 11 including me. In my district 6 of us are going to alaska and 4 are going to Kentucky.

But times running out, I only have a few more minutes on the email. Theres a few things I need, I need my scrubber thing for when I shower, I need some sandals, about 2 more of my gen x shirts for gym and pday and I think I left a pair or two of G's at the house I need those, maybe another pair of athletic socks and if i need anything else ill let you know. Also send more addresses and send pictures! I love you all! Love Elder Roney

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Break from our regularly scheduled program..

Eliza is getting married! To Florencio Lozoya!
Tomorrow, July 22nd, Eliza and Florencio are being sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake City Temple. There will be an open house in their honor that day from 7pm-9pm at the residence of Bob and Pag Watkins (1588 N Lewis&Clark Drive) in Centerville, UT. In case of inclement weather, the open house will be moved to 1928 S Campus Drive in Salt Lake City.

They will also be having a reception on September 2nd in Mesa, AZ at a church there (1050 S Hobson) from 5pm - 8pm. A ring ceremony will be held on September 3rd at the Rodeo grounds in Eager, AZ (7 South Hwy 180 #2) afterwards a dance will be held.

Jim and Roslyn have expressed that all are welcome, so please come to celebrate the union of Eliza and Florencio! We're so excited for them!

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Leaving!

Ashton Roney is getting ready to head out to the MTC for the Alaska Anchorage mission next week. We've been told he should only be in the MTC for a few weeks and then he will head up to the last great frontier! We're so excited for him to be serving there and we've all offered to pick him up in two years so we can see where he will serve! As soon as I get his contact info and a photo or two from Becky, I will post them here!