1/31/2011 SPLITS- to divide into parts or portions

There is a missionary "lingo" called splits.  It is where a missionary companionship (2 elders/sisters) are divided and either given a member partner for a day, or another missionary partner for a period of time.  This week Koltn has been on splits with Elder Bigler from Portsmouth District while his companion Elder Logan has gone to the mission home with Elder Zaupp for training.
Koltn says: "we covered my area and his area all week. It was crazy! Elder Logan and Elder Zaugg ( BiIgler's companion) were in Richmond for a training seminar. It was good. Hard work but good.  Oh And we had an awesome day.... We went to 2 appointments that canceled and peddled down to the bottom of Bigler's area for one lesson and then back to the top of mine for another.... oh and it was raining the hardest i have ever seen it rain before, the whole time." 
As athletic as Koltn is, he never rode a bike.  We got him a couple of them as he was growing up, but they just sat there.  He just wasn't interested in riding them.  Its kinda comical that now it is his main mode of transportation.  He says he loves riding a bike because you can get "up close and personal" with the people on the street.  It will be nice to see a picture of him on a bike (if and when we finally get some pictures that is) 
More comments from Koltn: As for an experience tracting..... well we saw THE HOUSE like THE ONE but we saved it for last on the street so we started knocking on the other end of the street. We found one family to start to and the husband is a hunter. Then a few doors down, a huge guy told us how stupid we are and how wrong we are, and then proceeded to tell us where to go as he slammed the door. We laughed our heads off (when we left that is, cuz that guy was a 6'5", 280lbs, fully bearded, missionary eating machine). the house we thought was THE ONE ended up being a total bust. but the one right before was AWESOME!!!! it was a newly married couple and they said they wanted us to come back. He is a Pro BBQ cooker.... like he does it for a living. hopefully he will have some for the next time we teach them :)
One of the best things about Koltn is that he has such a positive attitude about most things in life. He learned that a long time ago and it has been prevelant in most things he accomplished.  He comments:I think missionaries have a hard time out here because they let things bother them. like if they get a door slammed in their face or a lesson goes bad or someone cancels.... I don't get that. Ha! Elder Logan asked how i could be happy all the time. idk i guess it is just the outlook on a mission.

Well that's about it for another week from Elder Rogers Neighboorhood.  

Keep your fingers crossed that soon we might get some pictures.