September 16, 2013

Haha, Dad is funny... It sounds like Dwight is in charge around the house! Forcing Dad to stay outside... :)
 News about transfers...It doesn't say we are going anywhere! But it also says the sisters are coming in still, so we've found a hole in the mission! :D So our thoughts are we are just going to chill with the other companionship and do whatever we want...JK, We think that our info is already in Destin, and we weren't, so there's no need to put us transferring from Destin to Destin... So we are going to coordinate with our leaders and figure it out. We do know we have a place there, thank goodness! Now we just need to be in the place. :)
 We are planning something special for the sisters coming in... We are going to hide the essential things they need at members homes, and have a little scavenger hunt... :) It's a clever idea to help them got on their feet faster, and get to know the members that will help them the most. What are some of the Items? Area book, desks, shower curtain... :) we are going to take pictures for sure!
 It sounds like Jameson has a sweet job! He is being blessed for sure. I'll continue to pray for Grandpa, just think what could've happened if we didn't pray for him... I'm considering it a huge blessing.
 Well, I have a more solid plan for education, and school. I'm going to pursue the FBI career, and I heard BYU has many students that are hired on. I bet there are closer schools that work just as well too, so I'll do more research when I get home. I have 2 transfers left...Crazy! I heard the roads are getting lots better around there. It's going to be exciting to see all the changes! But still 3 months left, still a long time!
 So I can't remember the Draper's names, but do y'all know Rockland and Lanette Draper? I'm pretty sure y'all do, but I wasn't sure. We have a new investigator, and Rock changed his life, so he knows him pretty well, even though they haven't seen each other for years... His name is Steve Evers.

September 2, 2013

Some crazy coincidences have happened this week. You wouldn't believe who I ran into! I don't know how much y'all remember sugarland, but a member in our ward had her parents here visiting, and after church, I was talking to a guy and I told him I lived in sugarland. Her parents heard and walked over asking who lived in Sugarland. I told them it was me and they asked me lots of questions like what ward, and who I knew, where in sugarland I lived, and I couldn't tell them anything. But I used what memory I knew and was able to piece some of it together, and telling them y'all's name helped too. They were like, I remember Tony and Michele! Long blonde hair, moved to California? Well anyway their last name was Mecham, and they definitely remember you teaching seminary! Their daughter lives in our ward, she's 23, and married, we just looked at each other like, do I remember you in primary? It was weird and funny! The next time we go over to the Rowberry's, that's her last name, we are exchanging pictures!

 I changed my profession again. I thought about it again, and flying would be good, but I feel that being in the fbi would be good also, being a detective. I've changed my final decision to a split decision! :) I will further pray and ponder! 

 This are is still slow, ward mission plan is being made THIS sunday for sure, but who knows? I thought it was going to happen three weeks ago! Our ward is funny, has great people in it though, and we know they can do lots of good, we just got to find a way to get all their efforts together for missionary work!

 Who is emailing me? Well... Jameson, Dad, Sis watts (Callaway), Elder Danner, Meagan, Elder Lane, and sometimes others, so not too many people! And I am waiting to see if they are moving us soon, or waiting for two weeks. I still don't know....:) I'll hopefully find out soon!

 Last box? Peanut butter m&ms of course! If you could find a hymn book for a uke that would be sweet! I'm not sure about other things... Head band for basketball. :) I'm going to be sending some things home, I haven't got around to it yet, but it will come! What are some things y'all want? I know there are some things out here that you can't find in Utah.

 God Bless! :) Love y'all!

 Ps, I'm praying for Jameson!

August 26, 2013

Haha, I was wondering why I didn't get an email last week... :) I trusted that you didn't forget me! That marriage photo was hilarious! Dad blocked two people with his big body! :D haha. I can't wait to meet our in-laws, they seem fun!

 Well, I've finally decided to be a pilot, and have a solid backup minor to go with it, in case something falls through. Dad's Idea of Westminister is a good one. I remember hearing the name, but where exactly is it again?

 If I was nate, I'd be nervous too! I wonder how many languages he's gonna know when he gets back! Probably like 50! He's a tough kid, and knows how to make a situation humorous! It's a real talent and will help in many situations.

 Nothing real exciting has happened this week, except continuing wacky rain patterns! Pouring for thirty minutes, no rain for 40 and then back to pouring. It makes it really hard to bike... We were able to have a returning member at church yesterday, it was great! She is excited to make improvements. It's weird to work here knowing that we only have like 4 more weeks to do it, and maybe not even that...I got like 10 emails today, Yay! Now I have no time to write to all of them... consider yourself lucky to get one! :) JK, I always make sure I write y'all! We are emailing in pensacola state college, and it is packed! Now we have like 10x as many people looking at us weird! :) haha, I know what they are thinking, where are the aliens that are going to get plastered? :) jk, it's mainly just jealousy!

 We have a basketball night, and a volleyball night, and they are pretty fun! I'm decent at basketball, and my companion is super good at volleyball, so I found the reason why we are both here! :) There have been 2 investigators already from basketball night, we are hoping to get more and invite more people to it.

 That's about it, I'll have to find some better stories for y'all next week! LOVE Y"ALL!

August 18, 2013

All is well here! Everything is slowly improving, and we were able to get 2 new investigators last night! We group taught them, because the other pair of missionaries were with us. It went super well, and Elder Miller did a great job at the how to begin teaching points, he learned well! Things are still slow, but we have a firmer grasp on the area now. The ward had us also give talks Sunday. Mine went well, until halfway I noticed some heads down, so I knew I had to change it up a little, and so I freelanced the talk. It got their attention back, and so I went back to the end and finished it. It was only supposed to be a 10 minute talk, mine turned out to be like 20...:)
 Nothing too exciting happened. It rained for about two days straight. A tropical storm hit and drenched us, but it wasn't too bad of one. But nothing too new! Elder Miller is a good cook, and he plays the guitar well! Something else that's funny is that we report key indicators weekly, but since there wasn't supposed to be missionaries here, it isn't set up yet on the computer, so the mission office doesn't get our work... they are trying to fix it now, but I don't know if we are going to destin at the end of the month, or the end of the transfer, but we'll see!

Surprise!! - August 11, 2013

Now get this... I woke up transfer morning and took a shower. When I came out, my comp told me Elder Blanchard called and said that since Destin hadn't been open yet, that I'm going to Pine Forest for about a month! For a while I thought it was a big joke, seeing that he was going home the middle of this transfer, but we got to the meeting spot and he told me that they didn't have an apartment for us yet, and that they were going to do that, but in the mean time we are working in Pensacola! So now here we are, in the soon-to-be sister's new apartment opening a second companionship in Pine Forest! We see it as kind of a boot camp before we go to the beach! And I'm glad we did come here, because I have never opened before so I'm learning a lot from this practice session! Elder Lane, my old com padre, and Elder Simmons are the other two, and Elder Miller, from utah/texas is my trainee. He's 24, an old fart! :) He's a great guy, real nice!

 So far we mainly organized the apartment, and cleaned. We had one lesson! It was good, can't wait to get more people to teach! There are no progressing investigators that are being worked with, and the members aren't too gung ho about the work, so we are brain-storming ways to improve the area. But thank goodness next week the bish is getting back, and the ward mission plan is being put into effect. I wish it was this week though...

 This area is the total opposite of the beach. Many old people, lots of trees, but there are many more businesses than Callaway. I find that opening an area is a lot like being a entrepreneur, we make our own schedules, and have to work hard to be successful! The members aren't used to hard working obedient missionaries, so it will be hard. But with hard work and time will come fruits of our labor, so we'll see how this all will go! :)

August 5, 2013 -Reports are in!

So there are going to be some big changes over here! Nothing like Ipads yet, but they are still coming! :) But looks like I'm moving! So I'm going to be training...and I'm opening a new area i think... I'm going to destin! Awesome right? It's a branch, so I know I'm going to love working there, I like starting small. I'm not sure if I will be working with sisters again, but It's going to be crazy starting brand new, and training fully! I am way excited, but also nervous, as always, and I'm pretty sure there are many more things to take pictures of there! I'm definitely going to miss the people here, we have a baptism this saturday that I will miss... :, ( but he is prepared and I'm still counting it! :) it's the last of the investigator family, the dad's brother. He finally is ready!

 Once again it's going to feel strange moving, I hope I will get a companion that likes basketball! haha. This will be a stressful, yet exciting transfer! And just as our ward is on the up and up with missionary work, and a awesome new bishop, I get transferred! Lame right?

 Want to hear the story of the week? So we bike all the way across our area to contact a referral, it took us an hour of hard bike riding, we look for his apartment, and can't find it... we get a nearby member to help, still can't.... then the guy calls and says he wasn't even home, and he isn't interested... :( haha, lame.... but we got pizza from the member, so all was well!

 Actually I have a better one, Josh, the one who is getting baptised, had an appointment scheduled for saturday night. We got there and then he texted us, saying he was at work.... so we taught the guilford family. He came in about halfway during the lesson covered with black paint, looking dead tired. He told us he started work at 530 in the morning, and it was 8 o'clock then. Long time! He said that he could've finished tomorrow, but wanted to go to church, so he worked 8 more hours to get it done! That was awesome to hear! We had a short lesson, and he about fell asleep. The next day he couldn't make it because he got paint in his eyes, and they swelled the next morning...:( but it's all good! haha

 So that's a little of what happened! Many great things! But not as great as y'all! :D

July 29, 2013

Haha, I can just see you sitting in sacrament with the Ipad...:) I am SO looking forward to Bear Lake! But it will have to wait.. transfers is next week, so we'll see where I will be moving next, maybe not at all, who knows but God? :)

This week seemed to go by a lot faster. There were lot's of good things, not many investigator lessons, but work with Returning members is going great. We had one call us last night wanting to tell us how happy and excited he was about being back, and also about helping us do missionary work! We have him come to lessons with us, and he is a great fellowshipper! We are now teaching a wednesday night class for members, and it's going good so far. We take turns with the Sisters, and the Senior couple. Our week is this week, and we are talking about Christ's ministry, Broad right? It's going to be fun!

There are many differences to Pres Jensen, and Pres Smith, one similarity is they are both bald! :) But I really admire Pres Smith, even though he has changed many things now. But they are never bad changes! One big change is he is going to a lesson with each companionship, that will be interesting! :) He doesn't communicate with us like Pres Jensen did, so he seems more separated from us. As things move on, I know we will get to know much more about him. He does have good visions for the work here!

I am still loving my mission, and enjoying sweating everyday...that was a little sarcasm on latter.... But God is supporting us, and life is good! :) Love Y'all!