December 1, 2010

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


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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