Finally a dip in the pool!

Former shed tenant Christian Burstall made a quick trip back to Fresno over Labor Day weekend Sep 1-5. He stayed in the shed's main house, and tried out the shed pool for the first time!

Throughout his eight-month shed occupancy as a missionary, Burstall couldn't use the pool (except for baptisms - that would've been okay :)  But swimming is forbidden for all missionaries.

Even during July 2010's days of 110-plus temps, Burstall and Elder Flournoy  -- in soaked-in-sweat white shirts and ties and dress slacks -- walked right past the pool several times a day.  

During his return to town, Burstall jumped in.

Burstall holds two shed records: He was the first occupant (with companion Randy Wellbaum). He also stayed the longest (May 26, 2010 to Feb 7, 2011).  

On Saturday, (l-r) Elders Ramos, Casper and Carlson caught up with Burstall.

Elders Ramos, Casper & Carlson's surprise running into Burstall.
Carlson himself is an ex-shedling of four months, from Mar 23 to Jul 24, 2011.

Original shedling Christian Burstall with Elders Ramos, Casper & Carlson.

Lil Girl remembers the shed's first occupant.

Burstall crashes on Jangles' bed at Josh & Katie's.

On Sunday, he blessed the sacrament at Van Ness ward. 
Members had lots of smiles and hugs for the RM who served in their ward for half of his two-year mission, which also may be a precedent.

On Saturday, Burstall embraced Josh outside his home in Clovis, and had dinner with him and Katie.

On other days, he had fun in the pool!

His Last Summer in Fresno. 

Elder who spent 2 transfers in the shed finishes his mission

Elder Moreno celebrates with Bro & Sis Ashby and Sis & Bro Cox

after his farewell testimony meeting Sep 6 at west stake center. 

Elder Moreno was a shed occupant from Feb 9 to May 3. His  

companions were Elder Tua'itanu and Elder Carlson. 


He was a bilingual missionary in the California Fresno Mission, and served in both English- and Spanish-speaking wards.
Elder Moreno was committed to his mission and worked hard in the field. When his dad died at the beginning of his mission, he stayed in Fresno and taught and served.


He was scheduled to fly home to Mexico City Sep 7. He stayed a few weeks, attending Fresno Stake Conference on Sep 18.

Elders on the move again

Sunday Aug 14 was the last night in the shed for Elders Turner and Clawson.

The Riverview missionaries relocated Monday Aug 15 to an apartment near Ingram and Nees, within their ward boundaries.

They’ll be a little farther from their ward building (Maroa/Barstow) but a few miles closer to members and people they'll be teaching.

The huge Riverview ward’s southern boundary is Herndon.
Its far-flung geography spreads from Van Ness Blvd on the west, to Millbrook on the east, to Children’s Hospital in Madera County on the north.

Lots of miles every day on bikes.








Lots and lots of miles!

The shed will be vacant for a time while it undergoes major cleaning and re-painting.

Housing elders is a blessing

[Excerpted from thank-you note in today's mail]

Dear Brother D,

Thank you for your kind generosity!

I hope you know how you blessed the mission, and the missionary work!

You are a doll!

Love,
Sister Williams
Mission Housing Coordinator

Two by two

Q: Mormon missionaries always travel in (what)?
Answer: ‘pairs.’

A horrified driver learned that lesson last Tuesday night at a Palm/Herndon crosswalk when the car she was driving collided with a bike ridden by Elder Turner.
At a right-on-red, after yielding to his companion, the driver accelerated directly into Turner on his fast-moving bike. It spun 180, crashing Turner to the pavement. Luckily he escaped with scratches & bruises, bike survived too.
The shaken driver stopped, & aided the elder on the ground. 'I thought there was only one of you,' she said. She gave her name/address, & the mission home was called.

Tenth companionship

Shed welcomes new Riverview ward elder.

Elder Clawson (l) and
Elder Turner

Clawson, of Gallatin MO, moved into the shed Jul 27. He transferred from Coalinga.

Turner, of Silver Spring MD, has been serving in Riverview but living near the Mission office.
His first night in the shed was Jul 25.

About the elders:
- Clawson's family moved to Missouri from Troy TX in 2008. They now live two miles from Adam-ondi-Ahman. His dad's ancestors were LDS pioneers who settled Far West.
- Currently the Clawson family's temple district is St. Louis MO (5 hours away), even though two temples are closer: Nauvoo IL (4 hours) and Winter Quarters NE (3 hours). In 2012, the Kansas City temple under construction will open and cut their travel time to about one hour.
- Prior to his mission, Clawson completed one semester at Northwest Missouri State University where he majored in Theatre Performance. He wants to major in Film.
- Clawson has completed 14 months of his 24-month mission.

- Turner's been on his mission five months. Best part so far? Gets to be with the scriptures 24/7. Worst part? Giving up secular music for two years.
- Before his mission, he attended a local community college and majored in Building Construction.
- Turner likes Fresno's summer, especially the lower humidity compared to Wash DC (near his home). 'Back east, when you sit in the shade, you still sweat like a pig,' he said.
- Turner loves to bike, easily covering 200-plus miles every week in the spread-out Riverview ward. Last Friday he and his companion logged 40 miles. They biked to an investigator's house in Rolling Hills north of Children's Hospital in Madera County, then to Millbrook and Alluvial, and ended on Van Ness extension near Fig Garden Golf Course.
- Turner's dad, Grant, served his mission in California too, in Arcadia (L.A. area).








'The companions change, but the pizsters live on' - Callburst, 7/23/11

Temple-bound!

In former-shed missionary news this week...
Christian Burstall, home 6 months from his mission, announced his engagement to the beautiful Janell Poole. The BYU-I students and Texas residents are planning to wed in the Houston temple in December or January.
Congratulations to the happy couple!!

Ninth companionship

The shed is now home to Riverview ward elders who moved in on Jul 25.
The companionship will change in two days during 6-week transfers.

Elder Diderichsen (l) and
Elder Turner

Diderichsen (r) of Houston TX, will be transferring to Porterville.

Van Ness moves out! Riverview moves in

End of an era.
Van Ness ward Elders Carlson (r) and Dyreng (l) said 'goodbye' to the shed and the shedlord on Jul 25.
VN ward missionaries have been in the shed since it opened in May 2010.
They'll be relocating nearer to the Mission office.
Carlson's new comp will be Elder Casper (c), from SLC who transferred from Porterville.
Dyreng will transfer to North stake, Heritage ward.

Shed redux

After spending their P-day in Yosemite, Elder Tua'itanu (l) returned to the shed Monday night on an exchange with Elder Dyreng. It was Tua'itanu's first visit back in almost four months.
First thing he did when the clock struck 9:30 p.m.? Came into the main house, went in the kitchen, opened the refrigerator and yelled, "Where's a gold can?" Tua'itanu said he misses the shed, "And the shedlord!"
He spent two transfers in the shed Dec 29 - Mar 20 with two companions, Elder Burstall and Elder Moreno.
He's now an assistant to the Mission President and serves Peachwood ward.

Jun 20
A difference of taste

Corn dogs & milk for lunch? Not for Elder Roberts (r).
He’s from Indiana so he likes the corn part, he said.
Milk is Elder Dyreng’s favorite bev: his family milks 800 cows daily on their 1,000-acre ranch in Utah. They sell most of it to one of the nation’s biggest dairy cooperatives.

May 27
Hannah says hello to Elder Dyreng in the driveway at the start of the g-kids' two-week visit to papa's house over Memorial Day 'til Jun 12.

The Shed's 1 Year Anniversary!

One year ago today the shed opened,
and, within a few weeks,
ldseldershed blog launched.

Fast-forward a year and missionary life in the shed goes on.

Last night's exchange from Alluvial ward was Elder Roberts (r), of Salem IN.
He and Elder Carlson spent a few minutes of anniversary day on mormon.org.

May 26, 2010
During this week last year, there was room painting, carpet cleaning, curtain hanging and shelving installation.

The first Van Ness ward missionaries to call the shed home were Elders Wellbaum & Burstall.

Of cats and Korea

May 14
Elder Carlson & Chloe, a nightly ritual of mutual affection.

May 17
Elder Lee (r) visits the shed for pizza with Elder Dyreng during an exchange with Woodward Park ward. After his mission, Lee plans to return home to Seoul, South Korea where he'll complete 21 months of mandatory military training. After that, he hopes to get an engineering degree while serving another 7 years required military service.

Eighth companionship

Elder Dyreng and
Elder Carlson

May 4, 2011

May 2
Elder Moreno's last night in the shed (and last nightly quesadilla :(

May 3
Last night of his mission for original co-shedling Elder Wellbaum, who said goodbye to friends (after 2 years in Fresno) at a Farewell Testimony Meeting at West Stake Center.

May 3
First day of his mission (and first visit in the shed!) for Elder Reguero (r) from Chino CA, who spent the day with (from l) Elders Thurman, Carlson and Moreno.

One last night in the shed

Previous shed-overnighter Elder Gutierrez (second from r) spent Apr 15 & 16 in the shed during an exchange with Echo Ward. He stayed with Elder Carlson and Austin Kincade (far l).

Gutierrez finishes his two-year mission May 4, when he's scheduled to fly home to Connecticut.

Austin, 16, a sophomore at Clovis High and a member of the 2nd Ward East Stake, got a glimpse into missionary life.

The three spent part of their Saturday evening with Josh (far r), reading & testifying of their favorite scriptures found in 2 Nephi, Helaman, Enos and Alma.

A shedling has a birthday

Elder Carlson turns 21!
He really wanted a deep-dish taste of home to celebrate his special day Mar. 13.
But the local Chicago Connection Pizza was closed : (

Luckily nearby was a Me-n-Ed's where he and Elder Moreno found plenty of Hot Hawaiian pizza, potato wedges and cinna poppers!
Much yumminess.

Shed Lingo 101

Terms

She: Any person, place, thing, idea, or concept. Most especially oneself.

Gold can: Caffeine-free, Diet Sam's Club Cola.

Pizz-ster: Rolls of saucy joy. Buy 'em by the truckload.

Slank, Slankster: Slanket, a sleeve'd blanket. This includes all brands of clothing-replacing lounge wear.

Blog, Vlog, Tweet: Imaginary source of internet content created by old people and missionaries.

Shed: Apartment unit attached to the garage of main house. Main place elders live. Contains two beds, various clothes and closetry, two desks, bathroom, air unit, and heat fan.

Exercise cube: Somewhat outside rec room where exercise time could happen. Equipment is kept there, but more often it is used to house Burstall's stuff.

Shedlord: Owner of shed, and primary occupant of the main house. One David Addison. Also goes by Pow, Dahv, Brother D, Dave, Brother Dave, Big D, Dahv Master Flash, etc.

Aught: Zero. Usually used to designate periods of time. Most especially Aught Six, signifying 2006.

Fres-hole: City in central California, population ~500,000. Preaching and baptizing capitol of the world. Why do you live there? Uhh....

Oh!: Loud, Dahv style complaint noise. Used equally for pleasing and unpleasant situations.

Gay: Extremely unpleasant, or extremely wonderful.

Cher: See above.

Phrases

"Call if you need anything": Statement that doesn't mean anything... or does it mean everything?

"This is my last summer in Fresno": Statement that doesn't mean anything... or does it mean everything?

"I can't speak to that": Carefully avoiding comment.

"Some would say not enough...": Used to illustrate that yours isn't the only opinion that matters- Dave's is.

"I just brushed my teeth": "The thing you are trying to get me to eat looks awful."

General Speech

Words can be truncated to suit ones needs. Examples are blank, bev, and pretz for blanket, beverage, and pretzel, respectively.  Sometimes, -ster can be added once the word is truncated to completely invalidate the shortening in the first place. Examples include napster, pepster, and sofster for napkin, pepper, and sofa.

Seventh companionship

Elder Carlson and
Elder Moreno

Mar. 23, 2011

College-bound!
Six weeks home from his mission, Christian Burstall contemplates his next move Mar. 25 in Austin, TX. He’s enrolled at BYU Idaho this spring.

Last night in the shed

Josh & Katie enjoyed spending time Sunday with Elder Tua’itanu (r), who stayed last night in the shed for the last time. Today he became assistant to the mission president, where he’ll help oversee 200 missionaries serving in the Fresno California Mission. He'd been a shedling (he preferred the name 'shedknight') since Dec 29. Elder Carlson, from Fresno North Stake, will be Elder Moreno’s (l) new companion starting Wednesday. They’ll be zone leaders, supporting 20 missionaries.

Companionship's last P-day haircut!