March 7, 2011 to Dad

HI dad. I dont have much time to Email. i will might have time later this week, but i am getting transferred To Riverside! i will be Companions with Elder Combe. I will be serving in a good part of Riverside in the Arlington ward. I will let you know how it is. when i get there. I am happy to still be on bike!!


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Hello son I really enjoyed your email, it sounds like you have some hard and some exciting times coming up. First of all congrats on the two baptisms that is a great note to leave on, I can tell you have done some great things in Hemet and left you mark on those you have met. I know it will be hard to leave those eternal freindships you have made there, thats one of the great things about the church is coming to know and love so many great people. But as you said it is exciting to look ahead to new challenges, new freindships, and know the Lord has many more great experiences ahead for you. I can deffinatly tell the great growth in you and your spirt as you have served in Hemet, and having the first oppurtunity to train Elder McHardy, I am sure it will be hard to part ways but I am certain you have taught him well and he will be a great missionary. It was good to here you had a chance to go to the temple again, what a great experience it is in the temple, I am still going every saturday morrining early an it is so inpowering to me I just can't see myself not going now, I love it.
     
Well things here at home are much the same nothing really new, the weather here has been a bit rainy also in fact it is cloudy and rainy this morrining. Kaylee is planning on taking of from work about the 15 of this month, it is getting a bit hard for her to stand a cut hair very long. I think everyone is over the sickness purty much, so far I have been blessed to miss it I hope it stays that way. It is exciting though as it gets closer to the baby's birth, just think you will be an uncle.
     
Well I am going to wrap up, I don't know if you will be able to email if your transferring today but were excited to know your new area and calling. Another 10 days and your at the half way point in some ways it seems fast. My best advice ( and I am sure you plan to) is keep your heart, your mind, your whole soul fully invested in doing the Lords work to the very last day of your mission and you will be blessed with so much joy, happiness, and peace unlike you have ever knowen. With God all things are possible, my you be blessed with his spirt so powerfully that you may know his every will, and have the strenght and determination to do his will. I am so so very happy and proud of you my son, you are a great yong man with an awsome spirt, stay happy and enjoy all the Lord has instore for you. I am graitfull very graitfull  for you and all the Lord has blessed me with, may you have a very enjoyable week and my God bless you in all things.

LOVE POPS

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 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.

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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 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

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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

October 4, 2010 to Pops

Hey Dad Thanks again for the letter! 

Things have been going great! The members from both wards have been a huge help. We have 2 great ward mission leaders that help us out in both wards. Luckily we got rid of all the bed bugs. I didnt have any in my bed in the appartment, but the other elders did. 

I live in a great 2 bedroom appartment with spanish elders again. I have really been starting to pick up on some spanish. 

I am having so much fun on my misson! Where ever i have been going i have been making friends like crazy! i get along well with every elder. My appartment consists of  Elder Moore, Elder Powell, and Elder Majia. We have some great experiences together.

So far i have been doing quite a bit of tracting on my mission, and i have been getting fairly good at it. We have slowly been finding people to teach. We have only a small amount of investigators, but we have been finding people to hopefully try to teach while tracting. So far i have been doing alot of less active work as well. 

Recently we got a media refferal via a text message on our phone. A lady ordered a Book of Mormon from www.mormon.org I dont know if you have recently been to this website, but it is a great tool for missionary work. Technology has really been making an impact on missionary work. In December we should be able to text our investigators, and maybe sometime in my mission i could be on Facebook doing missionary work. If that happens i have to add every missionary from the mission on my account so everyone knows what other elders are saying. My testimony has really been strenghthened tremondously. 

Elder Moore is great. This is actually his first time on bike. He has been out for 11 months, and this is his first car area.

Wow the Ward sure did change quite a bit, i sure am glad the ward is still asking about me on my mission. well i guess i can let you know an idea of what would be good for Christmas.

I think a GPS would be nice. Like a garmin Nuvi or something have mic help choose. so far i havent needed one, because i have been on bike, but it will come in handy for sure in the future. other than a gps. i could always use some more slim fit white shirts 16inch neck with some ties, and a nice tooth brush. other than that i would love some healthy food. more protien, and all that jazz. some healthy drink mix to add in some of my smothies would be nice. Weights are an option as well. they sell dumbell bars at wal mart that you can add weight on. ireally like those. some of the old gray weights in the garrage might fit on them. cds are good too with a big cd case.

Well the weather has been getting cooler!! :) it rained for a couple days this week. it was awesome. if you could send me my wolf blanket in my next package that would be great!:)

Well im going to try, and email the rest of the fam a bit too. send them my love ttyl.

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Hello son its always good to hear from you and know you are doing fine. I have been thinking alot about ya lately hopeing that your having good sucsess in your new area, I know it is a bit tough starting in a area that neather you or your companion has been there. In some ways it is probably a great oppurtunity to build your new area. Anyway how have things been going? Are you receiveing help from members to find investigators? How has the weather been there this week wet also? It has been rainey most every day this week. Did you get rid of all the bed bugs? So is it just you and Elder Moore in an apartment, and is it a decent one? Is Elder Moore been on a bike before? The other thing I was thinking too, ya need to think about what you would like come christmas so I can be looking for it and get it to ya on time, I know things will get real busy with Keira's wedding and all so I am trying to get a head start. Things here have been prity much norm this week, Keira and Matt came down this weekend and took pictures for there invatations. A F lost to Alta but it was a close game they just stuggle to score when they have the chance. BYU did win this week against San  Diego. Mic has been a bit under the weather with a cold but is getting better. Red still working hard  Her last check was over 400 so she has been getting quit a few hours. I have been staying busy but been missing riding with all the rain. Saturday I put plastic tarp covers over the dog runs so with the rain and snow they will stay dry. Buster still hanging in there but he's not as stong as he used to be, but he is still happy and loves attention. I picked a couple boxes of apples from Jeane's trees saturday and a few peache's also, there good as usual.

Well I guess I will wrap up, by the way they called Russ Davis to be the new young mens president. I talked with Austin today said you were planning on sending him a letter. Things in the ward are good the Jeppsons get home off there mission this weekend. Eveybody ask's how you doing, I think Bro. Myrick never miss a week in asking how your doing but many others ask also. Well I am glad to hear you were able to listen to all of conference, it's so uplifting and great to hear the Prophet and Apostles speek it seems to give me more determination to do better. Well I hope you have had a great week, I have been praying the Lord will bless your efforts, and that you and your companion might have the Spirt with you to inspire, guide, and lead you in His great work. Love them, Love them and teach them with the power of the spirt and it will hard for them to resist following and doing what you ask them to do. Two of your greatest attributes love and a great spirt about you, let everyone you meet see your happiness and love. I pray and pray that you may find great joy in the Lords work, and that through the spirt you will find those seaching for the gospel. Have a great week, I know you are committed fully and are doing all within your power to sucseed, stay strong never wavier, God is with you.

LOVE POPS

October 4, 2010 to Pops

Hey dad! Conference was awesome!! I got to see the whole session! I enjoyed Every talk. i really enjoyed the talks on family, there were many. Elder Moore has been out for almost 11 months. He is an extremly nice guy.

Dang thats tuff LP beat Af like that. Its too bad that byu lost as well. thats got to be super depressing. 

Wow seems like keira is working hard planning for the big day. 

Well i am glad to hear you have had many great oppurtunities to ride up to the canyon on the bikes, and i am glad duffs is having success. 

Thats awesome Todd dropped by, and asked about me. i Really enjoyed working there at Good Earth, and i have been thinking alot lately that i want to go into the Nutrition field when i get off the mission. I still dont know for sure, I am staying open to whatever would fit me best as a career, but i know that the Mission is preparing me tremendously for school when i get back. 

Well i g2g soon. Today we have to prep our appartment for bed BUG fumigation. no fun luckily i got the un infected bed, but we are going to have to do a lot of cleaning. 

LOVE you everthing is going great write you more next week. ttyl

Sept 26, 2010 to Pops

Hey pops. Thanks for the Email! Im sorry about the undetailed Email i was in quite the hurry. Well Everything is going well in my 2 wards Echo Hills, and Little Lake. Being Doubled in means that neither me or my companion have been in the Area before. they also call it white washed I have been running around all week getting to know the Area with my companion. Elder Moore was not the Elder who got sick. He alright. i Love the guy! Im going to try to send you some pictures today, but i really need to start taking more. I didnt get a chance to take any when i was in Valle Vista, but ill be sure to take a picture with elder Fairbanks, because he is my Zone Leader. Wow seems like alot of things have changed in the Ward. I dont know if i can recall the Merrill's a whole lot. oh be sure to tell Austin i am going to try and write him a letter this week.

So as far as the Cop thing goes it was a very Akward situation. We were at one of our investigators houses teaching when the Docter called, and while she was talking on the phone she expressed the same thing she expressed to us which was that she was feeling very sad, and depressed, and she described her feelings by saying that if she was home alone the day before she might have commited suicide. she wasnt serious, she just felt terrible, because she has Fiber Myalga, and an Anxiety disorder. she is about 66, and she lives with her son, and Daughter in law. the thing is the Daughter in law isnt a huge fan of us coming over, and it turns out her daughter in law was actually a cop that showed up to the scene, because docters are required by law to call the cops if their clients talk about suicide. Long story, but it was quite intense. Everything turned out great though. I am loving this great oppurtunity that i have to start fresh in my own ward. I am very confident in talking with everyone, and i hope to have success everytime it seems like the work is really really picking up i get transfered, but i know that i am doing a great job at finding souls that are ready for the Gospel.

Well its sad to hear about the loss AF had To PG, but at least it was a good close hard fought game. 

Well im working hard and i am being obedient, but i hope to pick it up more. i am soo thankful for the emails you always send me. im thankful for the advice you always give me. i will try to pray harder. thats something i need to work on. well ive got everything i need right now, but ill be sure to let you know when i need something. 

Well i g2g pops love you. keep me posted!!

Sept 20, 2010 to Pops & Family

Hey Pops, and Family. 

This week has been crazy, i will try to sum up everything all together in one Email. Well as you all know i got (ET) emergency Transerred into the Hemet Valle Vista ward. Well now the Transfer was over, and the Plan was to have My companion Elder Fairbanks be a Zone Leader, and leave to another Area in Hemet, and have me stay with elder Moore a awesome guy from Canada, but i just Recieved a phone call that said i am going into 2 wards in hemet on Bike. Echo Hills, and Little Lake. I will be Doubled into the Area with My new companion Elder Moore. Im sorry i cannot write a whole lot today as you may understand im going to need to start packing soon. haha. 

Well i did get the Package, and it was everything i needed! Its sad that i now am no longer going to go to the members awesome gym anymore, but at least i am back on Bike. Yippie. I really liked the Valle Vista ward, i was finaly getting to know it, and feel comfortable. I guess its just another oppurtunity for me to grow. 

Well Hmm let me think i do have some fun stories i will have to Expound to you about.

First, and most exciting is we got Kicked out of a Lesson by the cops, 2nd we taught sophmore seminary students about dating, and on the way we got into a Fender Bender. I was not driving. 3rd we set up some awesome gopher traps for a nice lady in our ward, 4th i was eaten alive by bed bugs, and Lastly softball is super fun.

Well i got to get going soon, but ill let you know about all the super fun experiences next week.

I was soo Exciting to hear from Everyone, im glad to see that everyone is doing well. Im soo Excited for Kaylee, 3 months already! insane. Hey when is your cousin coming into the Riverside mission? i am soo glad to hear about that Football teams success. Keep up the good work Mic i am proud to hear Coach Behm is doing well, and everyone is forming together. Keep up the Good work Red thanks for the Letter. Keira. I am happy to hear school, and work is going great 

love you all ttyl

April 19, 2010

Hi Dad.

It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad everything is going alright at home. That's sad to hear about Red. I hope she gets better fast!! That's great to hear that Duff's is doing better. I hope they can take advantage of all this new space and upgrade some stuff.

Haha oh Elder Holmquist had to milk it. (Note: Aaron's companion has a cow at home). He has his siblings doing it for him now, but they are selling the milk for money. Elder Holmquist says he needs it.

The ward is great here. Redlands is a really nice town, but there are so many different churches here it's insane!! It is really hard sometimes to even get to talk with anyone. They all say they are not interested or they are happy with the church they have now.

It was crazy to tell the difference between the rich people in my area, and all the friendly Spanish people when I went on an exchange with the Spanish speaking elders. Although I couldn't understand anything they said I really enjoyed it.

Well the Garza family is doing well. They are still taking the lessons and luckily there was a member family that moved in about the same time they did, and they live two houses apart. They both moved in around January. Both families have 3 children all around the same age. I hope they can fellowship the Garza family. Things look promising!

Well everything is going great, and I can't really think of anything I need. Maybe it would be nice if you could get a pair or 2 of some black slacks. I only have 2, and I don't want to use my suit pants too much. It's alright though, no rush.

Well I can't wait to write you again when I have exciting stuff to say, but then again everyday is fairly exciting. Probably one of the coolest thing so far was that on Thursday I was able to be in charge of my area with a Spanish speaking missionary. He was fun. He is a big white BYU football player.

Well g2g ttyl.

April 12, 2010

Hey Pops.

Things are going great!!! Elder Holmquist is an awesome trainer. He is a very intelligent nice guy that comes from a large family in Montana. I think he is the oldest, and he has multiple younger siblings. Redlands is an amazing area.

Everyone here seems to be very friendly. The members are super nice as well. We have an active ward mission process thing going where us missionaries teach members the lessons to encourage missionary work.

I have been meaning to send you guys some more pictures, but things are crazy. Sometime withing the next week or so I will send you my SD card full of pictures. You can take them off, and send me it back. I have two SD cards, so that will work great!

Well nothing huge has happened yet, but I just started teaching a family the lessons, and it seems promising. So I hope we can get them converted. Its the Garza family. They have 3 young boys in their family and they seem to be very interested. I'll let you know how things go. We also have a young boy ready to get baptized. Hopefully we can get him a baptismal date soon. He is 11.

Don't worry about the airport. It's completely fine. I flew out with my good friends from the MTC, and I think Micah was right. It's no biggie it's all good.

Yeah Dave is a cool guy and he has quite the story. He grew up in orphanages most of his life and he has been in multiple religions. He really enjoys the missionaries and the gospel and he live real close so when we don't have anything going later in the night we just talk with him till 9:00.

Well I'm all set with everything I think. I'll be okay on the sunscreen for a bit, but once summer rolls around I will be needing it for sure, so you can send it whenever.

Well I got a ton of emails to write so I'll have to ttyl next week.