November 29, 2010 to Dad

HEllO Pops whats popin? ITs great to hear from you, and im glad to hear the family survived thanksgiving. IT sure did sound like a super busy week. Im glad Red had a good birthday. I remember when i worked on my birthday they bought me a cake as well, but they didnt wish me a happy birthday over the intercom! Im glad she enjoys working there. The people there are super friendly. I am also glad that keira, and matt are moving along swell with school and with the appartment situation.

I remember last thanksgiving at mindys very well, and vividly. The Highlight was when me, and mic carried grandma D in on the chair. It was a very warm, and pleasant day. My thanksgiving here was awesome, our whole Appartment went to the same place for thanksgiving, we all felt like Family, and by all means the food was fantastic i had 2 huge plates full of food.... then afterwards Elder Moore, and i went to our investigators house for a second dinner. It was a chinese Family the Huangs. They cook for us everytime we go over there, and we have gone there to eat, and to teach  a couple sundays before. The Parents of the Family hardly speak english at all, but the mother has learned a ton ever since we got here. Missionaries have taught them for a couple months before us, and their two sons have changed alot. they are awesome the 2 sons are Deke, and Day way. i dunno if i spelled their names right, but deke is about 15, and day way 11ish. Anyways Deke is amazing at chess, and i am horrible, so it gets pretty funny when we play him, because that is all he does. Anyways the dad used to be a chef in china so it is really really good chinese food. Its the real deal. steamed and everything. The turkey he made was going to be stuffed with shrimp. and rice, but he didnt have enough time to cook the rice. The Huang family is very very kind, and and generous. I dont know why they are not baptized yet, but hopefully we can commit them soon though. The language barrier is the factor for the dad, and the mom a little, but Deke and Day way go to church everysunday, and Deke goes to seminairy. The mom comes every week she doesnt work as well. 

Anyways i probably tell you the most exciting part of the week was that we all got food poisioning from somewhere! lol we were sick puppies. I got it first on Friday. I threw up after 30 mins of trying hard to go out and work. I barely made it back to the appartment in time when i puked my guts out. By saturday morning i was practically better, but the whole time i didnt have any energy, and i didnt want to eat anything. Especially Turkey! :P haha Anyways Elder Powell, and Elder Moore got in saturday, so Elder Mejia and i went out, and did a small amount of work, and lastly on Sunday it hit Elder Mejia hard. It was a very memorable thanksgiving for all of us! haha Well we now have sooo much food in our fridge that we are probably going to throw out. OH yeah The Turkey bowl was awesome too beatiful weather too I was wearing a t shirt in the morning. fun fun

Anyways I hope this next week is a very good productive week. It has been very cold, and wet a little too. I have been meaning to buy a good Rain Jacket, but i have been barrowing another elders jacket, but he has 2 so its all good for now. MY bike is still holding up very well considering all that it has been through. I need to make sure it stays lubricated every now and then, and that the wheels are in good condition, and the gears, and brakes, and all that good stuff.

Well i got to be going soon, but the work is going great here. It is really picking up, and i am getting more, and more people to teach. there are soo many names to work with, but they are super hard to get a hold of and set up lessons some time. Well i g2g oh if you havent sent my blanket yet it would be great if you could send my new gray nike jacket that i bought in st george. OH another good thing someone could get me for xmas is a medium size v neck conservitive dress sweater.

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Hello son 

I sure enjoy hearing from you each week and your mission experiences, I hope it was a good week for you. How was thanksgiving for you good I hope? President Reeves sent a letter out to all the parents with information on what going on in the mission, said missionarys were having thanksgiving dinner with good famlies. I am sure missionary work during the holidays might be a bit diferent, but it may also be a good oppurtunity with some if they are thinking more of Christ and willing to listen to you message. Sounds like the weather is a bit wet, you have all the cloths you need for this time of year? If there is something else you could use let me know. Well hopefully your still finding people to teach it does sound like your staying very busy. Your bike still doing good and holding up well? How are things progressing with Jason your neighbor? I cant beleive how fast time seems to be going for you it will be a year before ya know it.

Well things here are doing good it has been busy this week with birthdays and thanksgiving, Red turned the big 18 on saturday. She had to work from 9 to 4 they gave her a cake for her birthday and a flower and ballon and wished her happy birthday over the intercom which she said was embarrasing. It was a busy day I loaded up a bunch of furniture and stuff in my trailer friday afternoon for Matt and Keira and got up early saturday and hauled it to Logan with them. Keira moved into a new appartment they will be living in after they get married, so we also loaded up all her stuff in her appartment also and moved it over to there new appartment. We had to go early so we could get it all done and get back I told Red I would be home by 4 for her birthday. We went out to dinner for her birthday to Brickoven. We went to Mindy's for thanksgiving it was good everyone missed ya not being there and wanted to know how you are doing. It looks like things are not doing so good between Ron and Mindy right now I hope they can make things work out. Everyone is doing good, Tim had a surgery done on his foot and will be laid up for a few months til he can walk on it.

Well I better wrap up and get going, I hope it has been a good week for you. I am looking forward also to talking at christmas that will be great. I did disconnect my land line phone a bit ago, I just didnt need it and it was costing me to much. Mic said maybe you would call his phone which would be good. I was so busy last week I didnt send your blanket sorry I am going to send it today for sure. We got hammered with snow saturday night and sunday, about a foot and it has been cold. I didnt tell ya but Matt and Keira went home late saturday night after Reds birthday dinner so they wouldnt get caught in the snow storm sunday which was good cause it was bad, but they didnt get home till about one in the morrning. Well son I am so impressed with you spirt and attitude you are doing exactly what the Lord would have you, stay happy and enthused about doing the Lords work. Take time you and your companion to seek the direction of the spirt that you may know the will of the Lord in all you do, I find I really have work and pray and listen before I feel the spirts guidance in my life. I know you are doing great and working hard I pray the Lord may bless you in your efforts. I love you and am so pleased to be able to share in your great missionary experiences, stay strong, and love the work. Have a great week may the Lord bless you.

LOVE POPS

November 29, 2010 to Missy

HEY missy


i hoped you enjoyed my thanksgiving letter. Very Exciting eh? 


Well I really enjoyed the Halloween email you sent. It was Fantastic. I would have to say i showed off Parkers sweet Costume to Every elder Emailing. They thought it was awesome! i did too. Everyones costume was great. 


WEll i have tried to hook my camera up to the computer to send some more sweet pics, but the silly thing hasnt been to nice. im going to try, and print some good pics off today at walmart, and send them for x mas. 


WEll ill Be sure to keep forwarding, and writing you more. Thanks for all you do you are the best! Tell tim to get well soon, and ill pray for him. 


LOVE U ALL BYEE


....................

How's my favorite Elder doing? 

We sure miss you and are super proud of you! You truly amaze me. It sounds like you are very busy out in the field covering 3 wards all on a bike. That hard work will bring great blessings to you and those you serve. You have such a positive outlook on hard work and I know that it brings the spirit in those who you contact.

Everything here is going great. We are all healthy and happy. Emily got her first haircut from Kayley. She was very brave. Kay expected her to be scared and move around a lot, but she sat still and was a great client. Now she looks even more grown up and acts it too. I've included some pictures for you to see.

Halloween went well. We had several parties to go to that kept us busy. I think that I told you about the kids costumes. I attached those for you to get a good laugh at too. Parker's costume was classic. He was the "I'm thinking Arby's" guy at school and Zorro at night.

Wing got to interpret general conference.  We got to see him on Amanda's TV. It was cool. The kids loved seeing him interpret and paid close attention to the speakers. Emily thought it was hilarious to see him on TV. Now her favorite shows are Elmo's World and Daddy! Pics of that are included too. (Wing's face looks funny in all of the pics from his sign language expressions. Kinda funny.)

In visiting teaching today the lesson was on gratitude and featured some quotes from Pres Monson. Some of the lines reminded me of you and how unselfish you are in your kindness to others. In fact, I've never heard you say anything bad about anyone. You can't say that about most people. It makes you special. Here's some of my favorite lines from Pres Monson's talk:

Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus wrote,”He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

Gratitude is a divine principle. The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things…. And in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things.” ( D & C 59:7,21) 

In the Book of Mormon we are told to “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessing which God doth bestow upon you.” (Alma 34:38)

If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others. 

President Joseph F. Smith said: “The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life.” He continued: ”Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man!”

Makes you think. Well, it makes me think. He also said that feeling gratitude without expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. I am grateful for this Thanksgiving season and it's reminder for me to give thanks for all of my blessings just before we celebrate the greatest gift of all, Christ's birth. November is a constant reminder of gratitude. I'm sure that most people in your mission are reminded of their blessings this time of year too. Hopefully, that spirit of thanksgiving will bring you happiness while you faithfully serve and love Heavenly Father's children through your service.

We love you and think and pray for you each day. Can't wait to see you again.

Love,

Missy

November 28, 2010

Mission President

November 22, 2010 to Kaylee

Kay kay. How is it going? Thats said to hear about Cindy. :( how is she doing? I hope she gets better soon. I look forward to possibly seeing you cousin in the mission field. SO i heard the news that you know what the gender of the baby is! LEmmEE know if you would like. I is soooo Excited! I hope you guys dont move to Wisconsin. :( if you guys are going to move somewhere for Cheese you might as well move to california! Happy cows do come from california.  Oops that cow here in california got a little to excited he wants you to move here so he gave you a cow pie!!lol So when is theexpected due date again? well i got to gets going Happy early THanks givin WEll im supposidly getting my thanksgiving dinner with one of if not the best cooks in the ward mmm. ttyl love ya bye

November 21, 2010

November 20, 2010

November 15, 2010 to Dad

Hey Pops

Thanks agian for another great email! I am always so happy to hear how everyone is doing back at home! I know that the family will continue to do very very well as i do whats right on my mission, and everyone back at home chooses the right as well.

Well i had another great, but somewhat hectic week. On Tuesday, and Wednesday there was a leadership meeting in riverside, so all the elders who were District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Trainers went to it. So ELder Moore left, and it turned out that i was going to be covering 3 wards on bike with a week old missionary for those 2 days. IT was a blast! it was hard to get things done, but we were able to bike far distances to get to our appointments. Its hard enough covering 2 wards on bike i didnt need another one. There was just too many people to see!! I really did enjoy it though it gave me a growing opportunity to be with a greenie.

On saturday we had exchanges, and i was able to drive a car all day for the first time on my mission! Its good to know that i can still drive! :) Elder Moore and i are the only elders in our District that are english speaking Missionaries. so Its always fun trying to learn some more spanish. We had a lesson with jason on Wednesday, but it seemed like he was having a hard time understanding what we were saying. We are going to have to take things a little slower with him, because he isnt the best reader either. He got sick so he wasnt able to go to church with us on sunday. It seems like there is a flu bug going around, because we ran into soo many people who were sick. We didnt get a chance to teach trent this last week, hopefully we will be able to catch him this upcoming week.

Well I hope everyone is having a good old time during this Holiday, Birthday, wedding and Aniversary season! I am excited for My Christmas call coming up! :)

Well Pops I am so Glad be your son, you are a great example to me. Keep going to the temple, and striving to be a good Father I was reading in D&C 121 v. 34-46, and I really love those verses. i hope you can recieve strength from them as well. Tell everyone in the Family, and ward that i am very thankful for all the support they give to me.

WElll i g2g, but could i ask ya to send me my wolf Blanket. its getting a little chilly at night in the appartment. my room has a nice thin glass sliding door that gives off some awesome coldness. other than that i am doing great!

ttyl love you.

Here are some pictures that might make you jealous of the warmth here.

....................


Hello son

It was so good to hear your news last week, sounds like it was a bit stressing and weird but sometimes thats how it goes. Sounds like your having some teaching opportunities, but maybe not all perfect or golden. I guess the main thing is you have the oppurtunity to help and bless the lives of people in need. Thats great that Jason is going to church each week I hope you are able to encourage him to read the B of M and pray, it would be neat if he can feel the spirt and desire to know the truth. Now this Trent sounds interesting, hopefully he is able to get the right help with his drug problems, sounds like maybe he moved to get away from bad influences. Drugs are a real struggle but it is great he wants to change and knows he needs to. He just needs to know all things are possible with faith and Gods help. Sorry to hear about Tina, maybe something will change so she can still investigate, I am sure the advisary is trying to do all he can to interfear with her progress. It sounds like you are working very hard and having some sucsess, good things will happen just keep doing all you can and pray the Lord will bless your efforts and faith. How have things been with the weather? You have everything ya need for winter time?

Well things are going fine here but it is getting busier with holidays coming and getting things ready for Keira's wedding coming up. Mic and Kay went to Park City friday night to sunday for there aniversary, sounds like they had a good time. Keira and Matt was down this weekend also just working on getting things ready for their weddding and it was Matt's birthday saturday also. Red and I went to dinner with them friday night for his birthday. Red is staying busy as usual work and school. The weather keeps getting colder looks like we could get some snow this week . Things are staying steady at work, I seem to have work lined up most the time. The Jeppsens spoke in church today on there mission to Denmark, they got home about a month ago, it was good sounds like they really enjoyed their mission. President Ivins said to tell you hello, he asked how you were doing saturday when I went to the world wide leadership meeting at the stake center. The church handed out new handbooks to all leaders and Bishops to help Members know and do there respondsabilties. I also had the oppurtunity to go help clean the temple on thursday night, it has been closed for two weeks. I spent about four hours dusting and cleaning the walls and molding in the endowment room. It was a great experience, I enjoyed doing it.

Well I best wrap up and get going. I really do enjoy hearing your experiences you are having doing the Lords work. I can tell your giving your best to the Lord and working hard to bless the lives of all those who will listen and accept your message and help. I am so very happy and glad your finding so much joy in the work, stay firm and true you are the Lords disciple(3 nephi 5:13) he loves you and wants to bless your works and effort. I know this is the last days and close to his return, the advisary is working hard to stop the work of the Lord. I know you are part of Gods army (such a great time for you) stand bold and true in sharing his word. If only all men could know of the joy and happiness available to them in this Gods true church. I love you son, pray always for the spirt to be your constant companion, that it may bless you daily. May you have a great week and find sucess in Gods work.
LOVE POPS

November 12, 2010

November 11, 2010

November 8, 2010 to Pops

Hey Family!!

its great to hear from ya!. I am so glad that everyone back home continues to do well! Im glad Halloween was a success.

Well i had another great week! Sunday was the most intense sunday i have probably ever had. It was awesome though. It started out normal, but then at the end of little lake sacrament there was a non member that tried to bear his testimony, but the stake president went up to the stand to close the meeting before he could have a chance to go up. In the Echo Hills ward Jason came again, but after Echo hills sacrament a Less Active Guy by the name of Trent came up to me and said he wants to start to come back to church. He was full of energy, and anxiety, because he has had alot of crazy experiences lately, including dreams of passing out, and dieing. He said he is not crazy, and i believe him he was meant to come back to chuch. He was guided here no doubt, and everything we talked about was perfect. we talked about Post mortal world, and not procastinating your day of repentance. He recently decided to drop everything, and move. although its going to be tuff i hope he can overcome his drug addiction. We well be teaching him soon. It was kind of funny, but horrible, because he left elders quorom to get some air, but when he came back we were saying the closing prayer, and trent said ehh i think i stepped in some dog shiz as loud ever. it was sooo weird.

well this week we had some good success tracting. we were able to give a couple book of mormons. hopefully we will pick up some new investigators, and fast. Sadly yesterday Tina dropped us. Her husband wasnt happy with us going by.

Well i got to go get me a haircut at 1. I didnt have a to much time again to email. I invited a member of one of our wards to play some bball, and he brought an investigator. so i played some bball.

Welll g2g love ya bye ill write the family next week sorry

....................

Hello son

I enjoyed your email it sounds like your working hard and enjoying your mission very much. That is neat about your neighbor Jason hopefully he will continue to learn and come to church, I am sure if he will read the B of M and pray he will come to know the truth. Its good everyone is still together and no transfers its kind of good to be able work together with someone for awhile you seem to gain strenght and confidence in each other, it makes doing the Lords work more productive.Did anything happen or come or the lady who ordered the B of M I know you were visiting her just didnt know if she took the lessons or not.Sounds like your staying busy with two areas but thats probably good its always good to have lots to do as long as you can keep up with it.

It looks like your having a wet day there today its been raining here this morrning also, looks like snow is coming soon.

Everyone missed ya at Halloween also, they asked about ya and how everything was going for you, I told them you are enjoying your mission very much and things were good.

Well things here are going just fine, we went out for dinner on friday for Mic's B day, Keira and Matt were down from Logan so they were able to come also. November is a B day month with Mic's and Kayle's and Red's, I guess Micah and Kayle will be celebrating the wedding aniversary this month also. Things seem to be going well with Keira's wedding plans it seems to be coming up fast, it will be great they seem excited, they found a place to live in Logan after there married which is good, sounds like they got a decent place and a low rent which will help them. Red is still working hard and trying to do as much school as she can, I am proud of her she is doing good, I just want her to be happy and do the best she can. Well I went over saturday morrning to Ken's for a couple hours to help clean up after halloween, they had to quit at 11 to go to the Utah football game. It was a big game they played TCU, they are ranked third in the nation and Utah was number five sad to say the lost big to TCU. BYU has struggled this year they have lots of new and young players, but they have been doing better lately.

Well I better finish up and get to work, I hope it has been a good week for you and that you are able to find those willing to listen and want to know more about the truth. All I will say son is pray lots, seek the influence of the spirt always, and keep working hard, sucsess will come. After you have done all you can do pray for the Lord to bless you efforts that those you are teaching may be touched with the spirt and come to know the truth. I love you very much and know you are doing the Lords work without a doubt. I am proud to be the father of such a great son. Stay happy, Love and enjoy the Lords work, your life will be forever blessed from the experiences you have on your mission.Love you, I pray you will have a great week.

LOVE POPS

November 6, 2010

November 5, 2010

November 3, 2010

November 1, 2010 to Pops

Hey Dad!!

thanks again for another great email! Well i survived another Transfer. I am very happy to know that everyone in my appartment is staying! I am super excited to continue serving in my two wards still! :) i cant believe im soon going to be 1/3 of the way through my mission! NOT a whole ton of new stuff went on this week. Just another week full of hard work, appointments, and still a ton of tracting. Covering 2 areas sure can keep you busy!

We had a great sunday yesterday i really enjoyed it, and felt the spirit. About 3 weeks ago we had a really nice fellow named Jason move in next to us. i would say he is in his 30's, but he is very soft, and tender. He really enjoys video games, and super heros, and stuff like that. i would say he is under developed, but he is a very cool guy. He really enjoys living next to us, and he asked to come along to church this week! It was our Primary Program, and i know he was very touched. He has some difficulties, but he wants to change for the better, and continue coming to church with us. For the most part he has very good standerds. I felt the happiest ever on my mission that sunday. Hopefully as we continue to talk with him he will learn more, and hopefully we will be able to teach him the lessons.

Sounds like Halloween was good like always. Im sad i didnt get the chance to be there, but im looking forward to some pics. We had to be in at 6 on saturday, and sunday, because things can get crazy at night around rowdy holidays!

Well i really need to get going sadly this week the computers were all being used, and then when i got on the internet was down for a while.:( Everything is A. OK. tell the fam i will write them all individually next week.

Love you all Bye

..........

Hello son

it was great to receive your email sounds like your engauged in the work and enjoying it very much, thats what its all about just keep enjoying and loving the work and others will see your happiness and want a part of it also. It is good your teaching and have some interest from people you never know which door or what person will be ready and accept the gospel, I guess thats why they say you treat everyone like their a golden investigator. The part I always had a hard time with and should have done more was having the courage and confidence to ask people for commitments and challenge them to do things they needed to, but I realalized later to follow the spirts promptings and do it.

Glad to hear Tina Skinner is showing interest and trying to get an answer, ya know the thing I found was when people would start investgating the church that the advisary would work hard on them and make life more difficult for them. We would tell people that and if they would stay strong pray hard and fight through the tough time that they would recieve a joy and happiness they never knew.

Well things here are good just keep plugging along, time is going by fast I just realized Keira and Matt have only six weeks till they get married. They came down for the weekend. Johnathan and Alley was able to bring home there baby it is gaining weight and seems to be doing fine. Red is still working hard, she has been a bit sick the past week, cold and stuff but she is a trooper and keeps going.

We had Kens halloween as usual, I helped him out a bit on friday and saturday to get ready for it, every thing went well although it was raining bad to strat out so things were sloww but it piced up at the end when the rain stopped, we went till almost nine. Ken took some pictures ill have see if I can get them and send some to ya. Things are good Micah has his birthday on friday not sure what were doing.

Well I best wrap it up for now, I hope things have gone well for you this week. I know you are giving all you have to doing the Lords work and thats all he expects. So you have a good rain coat now? I am not sure how cold it gets there in the winter time ya think you will need another coat?

I thought your story about the guy you wanted to help was a hoot, I am sure he wanted his buddies to have a laugh, but you did get to share a message.

Well bud keep smiling, enjoy every day, and know your doing the greatest service possible trying to find and bring people to the only true church on earth. Our Father in Heaven and the Lord love you so much for your sacrafice and service, and they want to bless you imensley, stay in tune with the spirt and He will guide you in everything you do. I love you very much and am so happy you are enjoying the Lords work so much. Have a great week I pray you will find sucsses in you work.
LOVE POPS