February 28, 2011 to Dad

Hello Pops. I had another alright week. This week was a little chiller, and wet, but it was a nice chilly. This week was fairly busy, and i didn't get as much done as I would have liked. this week we didn't get a chance to visit Berry, but we will for sure next week. we had a long weekly Planning session, because we were working on these really neat maps. We are able to geographically pin point every members home on a map with every street in our area. This week we also had another temple trip!! i took some pics, but i have been meaning to send you some more! :) Well I actually have 2 baptisms this Saturday! Were are baptizing Nick, who just got married to Jackie on Saturday the 26th. Jackie is a member, but her little sister Cassie isn't. So we will be baptizing Nick, and Cassie on the 5th of march, and most likely i will get transferred on the 7th!!

Leaving Hemet Is kind of going to be bitter sweet. I have grown soo much here, and i know sooo many people here in this large hemet valley. The members here have been great, and i know through there great example there will continue to be many baptisms in Hemet. My bishops have been awesome as well! i have really learned alot from them. Bishop Holtom, and his family are awesome. He told me i should ask to stay longer here. lol. I am excited to go and see other places, but i will miss Hemet that's for sure. I am just super happy to leave on a good note with 2 baptisms.

Well I am glad the Baby shower was a success, and i am glad that Mic, and Kay are feeling better. :). I hope Red doesn't come down with what they had... It seems like it is the season for sickness. I can really see all the bugs, and sickness that goes around when i am knocking on doors. Well pops i sure am proud of you seems like in your past emails you really have been feeling better! I know that exercise, and eating right can do that for you. Keep it up. I love you soo much i don't want you to have any health issues for a long time. Again i hope that all is well back home, and that everyone is doing good, and being happy. Be sure to continue to be Grateful for everything we have. I Love all the advice you have given me. You are The best, and most Faithful father a son could ever ask for. Love U SOO.

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Hello son I enjoyed your email, sounds like things are good and your staying busy. Good to here you have another baptism coming up, I hope all goes well for them and it comes through as planned. Your friend Berry sounds like an interesting man, I hope he can bring himself to begin reading the Book of Mormon, I know it is one of the main reasons people are converted to the gospel, it has such a powerfull spirt as they read. I am a bit surprised when you went there that the JW was not more confrontational, on my mission most all of them we met were very agressive and arguementive. But thats good he was'nt it only makes for a bad experience for all. I also understand what your saying about kind of getting into a routine or maybe a rut and it seems like things just are not progressing as you like. It kind of seems easy to just do the usual, but I learned to really work hard at seeking the spirts direction and breaking away from the norm and seeking new people and areas to work. I guess the most important thing is you and your companion pray fervently for the spirts help and guidence and follow thoes feelings and promptings when they come. You are on Gods mission and as such are entitled to his complete help as you faithfully ask. I know for sure He desires to help you that you may sucseed in His great work.
     

Well things at home are doing better, Mic and Kay are feeling better but not 100 percent yet. They had a nice baby shower for Kaylee at Pam Wilsons home, and they had lots of people show up. I think Kaylee was very happy, Red and Keira was in charge of doing games and had several, everyone really enjoyed them. It sounds like Red may be getting sick though she's not feeling to good today. So far I have been blessed to miss out on it and I hope it stays that way. Matt and Keira came down this weekend for Kaylee's baby shower, it was good to see them it's been awhile since they have been down, but they seem to be doing very good and are happy. I am doing fine, work is starting to pick up a bit I am sure when it gets a little warmer things will take off. I have been blessed with good health and have been feeling better now I am exercising and eating better.
     

Well its time to wrap up, but I am so very happy for you and all the great experiences you are having, just keep your heart and desires focused and doing all the Lord would want you to do. The Lord loves you and is pleased with your effort to do his will, your a great missionary, with a heart that loves all those you meet. Let the Lord work through you with the guidence of His spirt and many good things will happen. My prayers for you daily is that you may feel the spirt so strong that you may know the will of God in all you do, and that those you teach will feel His spirt also. Love you Son, love you very much and am so proud of the great man and missionary you are, stay happy, love what your doing and enjoy every minute of your mission, for too soon you will be wishing you could stay longer. Have a great week  and may Gods blessings be upon you and your companion.

LOVE POPS 

February 21, 2011 to Dad

Hi Pops!! thank you for the great Email. :) 


Things here are still going great!!! Nothing too new happened this week. It was very rainey, and cold though. We did however have a great lesson with one of our investigators! His name is Berry, he is this awesome cool African American that is in his later 60's. He has been looking very very hard for the truth, and he knows there can only be one true religion. He also believes in the apostasy, and in multiple heavens. He hasnt accepted a book of mormon yet, he just wants to study from the bible.. We are getting very close though just this last week we took a member over with us, and we showed up just in time!! Because when we knocked on berrys door he answered it, and said hey come on in i am meeting with the Jehovahs witness' right now. lol so we got in and taught the JW jay dub as well. He was very quiet the whole time, and hardly said anything at all we sure did confound him. Berry, and our member talked for most of the time. 


Well i hope Mic, and Kaylee get feeling better. Thats no fun to be sick right before the Baby shower...:( WoW i hope KT is enjoying her new phone. goodness seems like alot has changed since i have left... 


I cant believe i have almost been out for a year!! I should have another baptism coming up on March 5th!!! its been a long going process, but this couple is finally getting married, and then the husband is going to get baptized! I am verry happy to be here in Hemet the work has really really picked up. i really just need to keep working harder, and harder, because i feel like i am starting to get a little lazy. I feel like i just know too many people here, and i know there schedules, and i should really always give everyone the chance they deserve to come unto Christ, and recieve the blessings in store for them. I may only have just a few more weeks left here, unless President Reeves chooses other wise. its all up to the spirit. 


WELL I love you pops be sure to let everyone know that everything is going A OK. 


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Hello son it was so great to receive such an awsome, awsome email from you. I can see and understand why that was your best birthday ever, I am sure it was a very spirtual and fullfilling day. I was thinking it will be great because for the rest of your life every time you have a birthday you will also be able to remember your awsome birthday and those who you were able to teach and help bring the gospel into there lives. I am sure it was really special to be able to go back to Redlands and see and be with the members there and Elder Holmguist. I am sure it was great to see Patrick be baptized and know you was able to commit him to be baptized. You know even though we are far apart I could feel your happiness and joy, your happy spirt as I read your email, the spirt is such a magnificent blessing. I to am thankfull for those missionary Mom's that are such a blessing to you, I hope you always let them know how thankfull we are for there kindness and love. I really enjoyed the pic's you sent it neat to be able to put faces to the names, and see your joy and happiness in a picture. It is good to know you have many contacts and people to teach I pray you are able to find a way to bring them to the joy and happiness of the gospel.

Well things here are doing well but Mic and Kay have been sick for the past few days with a bad cold or flew, Kaylee has had a rough day today has'nt been able to keep things down, hope she can feel better quickly. She has been a bit more misserable lately as she gets closer to the due date. Red is still busy working and she just got her a new phone, a I phone G4, verizon now has them, she was very excited to get one. Matt and Keira seem to be doing well, they have'nt been down for a few weeks but plan on coming down this weekend for Kaylees baby shower. Things are picking up a bit at work, although I worked my butt of thursday we went to Salt Lake and pulled apart a huge shelf system that Duff bought and loaded it all up aand hauled it to AF. Now we have to reassemble it inhis back storage area, which I am sure will take alot more time than it did to disassemble it. I am glad I have been working out for the past six weeks or I would have been much tougher.

Well I better finish up, I hope you have had a good week doing missionary work. I am so happy and excited for you and the great spirtual experiences you are having, they will be a blessing and strenght for you the rest of your life. The Lord loves you and is very pleased with your desire to do his will. I pray the spirt will be strong and present with you constintly that you may know the will of the Lord, that He may be able to guide your footsteps and lead you to those seeking the truth. I know He will and can as you faith in him grows and strenghtens. I love you very much and am so thankfull for your great example and spirt, continue to be happy and let your spirt and the spirt of the Lord shine fourth form you, that all those you meet and teach will know you are the Lords servent. I hope and pray you have a sucsessful week may you be blessed for you hard work.

 LOVE POPS

February 14, 2011 to Dad

HI Dad Thanks for the great email! I must say that this was by far one of the best Birthdays i have ever had!! I waited all week to open my package after church Sunday, and everything inside was perfect. Thanks again for all the items. The Health food, the Hair Product, and the soap, and spray. They were all i wanted. 


Anyways well the reason why this was one of the best b-days ever is because Patrick did get baptized, and  i was able to go back to Redlands for a Baptism!! Jeffrey Mann's little brothers finally got Baptized. It took a while, because Chris could not be submerged in water, but he is fully healed, and Elder Holmquist baptized him, while Elder Stevens baptized Alex, and i gave the talk for the Baptism! It just so happened that i got to Redlands early, so i decided to see a family that i knew who lived close to the temple, and the church were the baptism was held. I saw the Padgett Family! They are way cool, and they helped us teach a few people when i was in Redlands. So chances are that the Padgetts just so happened to be feeding the missionaries that evening, and it just so happened that i obviously did not have a dinner because i was going to the baptism @ 5 in redlands. The Padgetts also just so Happened to be a Family of all girls, so they were actually having a hard time that evening finding another male present for the dinner.My ride to Redlands just so happened to be another male who is awesome Glen Clement a younger Returned Missionary that always goes on team ups with us. So I had 3 baptisms of people i taught that day, dinner with the Padgetts, and they just so happened to have made an amazing cake for dinner that they put 20 candles on for me! :D I really had an awesome B-Day, and it was as if you were all there too. I too am also thankful for ''Mission Moms'' They tend to be Mothers with Missionaries out on Missions like Sister Gulassa, and Sister Padgett. They are soo nice to Missionaries. Well that was my b-day, and i will be sure to send you Pictures.


I am so thankfull to be out on a mission right now,and I have loved serving in Hemet. the work here is really picking up we have found alot of people to teach, i am just barried deep with names.. I have done a really good job at finding people, now i just need to work on my closing skills. I am soo thankful for all the support i have recieved from you pops, and the whole Family! Be sure to let everyone Know how much i love them Red, Keira, Mic Kaylee, and The Butlers, The Durrants, The Shortts, The Hammonds, and the whole clan back home. Well i will write you more in a sec, but i hope everyone enjoys this email.


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 Hello son good to hear all is well, I hope you have had a great week and that you had a good birthday. It was awsome to hear Patrick is being baptized on your birthday, I am sure that made for a great day. I hope we did okay with what we sent ya for your birthday I had to round up things quick so I could send it with Patti's mom. If you need anything else let me know I can send it to ya. Well the weather has warmed up a bit and is better I am sure that makes it better for you getting around. So how is the work going you able to find some new investigators to teach. I have been praying the spirt of the Lord will guide you to those ready and seeking the truth. I was at the Temple early saturday morrning and saw Pres. Ivins we sat together in the chaple, he asked about you and how you are doing, I told him you are very happy in doing the work of the lord. Also I saw Pres Hanson ( the stake pres. before Pres. Ivins) he also asked about you, they both commented on how great a young man you are and yes I agreed. It was also a world wide training broadcast saturday morrning from 9 to 11, they went through somethings on the new handbook they introduced a couple months ago. It is so great to be able to go to the temple each week, I have realalized how much I have missed out by not doing it all my life, the spirt there is so stong and it is such a blessing.
      

Well things are much the same at home, everyone seems to be doing well . Kaylee is down to about six or seven weeks left, it is exciting for them, Mic is excited for the big day ( can't wait) when his little girl will be born. It will be a big time of change for them in there lives, a baby makes life different. Matt and Keira seem to be doing well I know they are sending you something for your birthday, it will probably be there a little late she didnt have your adress and had to call and get it from me. Red is much the same work and school. I am still doing fine, work is starting to pick a bit I am sure with the warmer weather coming it will get take off.
     

Well I hope you are finding sucsess in your efforts, let me know how things are. I know the Lord is with you and through his spirt will guide and bless you. Remember challenges and difficulties come to strenghten us and make us stronger, as you increase your faith in the Lord and continue to do all you can the blessings will come. I know you are doing an awsome job, with a great attitude and happy, keep up the greeat work. It is all about the spirt, being in tune so He can guide you, and having it with you when you meet and teach people, once they feel the spirt they want more. I love you and pray daily that the Lord will bless you and Elder McHardy as you strive to find those who will listen and obey. May you have a spiritual week and feel the hand of the Lord in all you do. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY! 

LOVE POPS

      

January 31, 2011 to Pops

HII Dad i hope i can find Enough time to email you this week i wrote the whole family today. SO i am limited on email time left. Well the work is still going great! I am loving my mission. ELder McHardy is doing good too. I hope i can train him as good as Elder Holmquist trained me. So pops how is work going now? is it slow? I am soo excited to come back home. I expressed to mic and red that i might want to be picked up. Anyways Today was great i recieved a personal gym almost. i got it for free i will have to send you some pictures when i get it set up. Sounds like the Teachers Quorom had quite the experience. i promise to write you more next week i g2g. ask mic, keira, kay and red bout there emails they will tell you more. Oh yeah my b day is coming up, and i cannot think of too much i would need or like. Everything is quite swell. i have alot of stuff now i might send some things home. Maybe just health food ,and stuff, ties. or just save some money i am doing great love you bye 


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Hello son your email was great, it's good to hear things are doing well for you. Well you have royal blood, I think thats great,of course I think you have always had it within you anyway. I am happy for Elder Holmguist I am sure it was well deserved. It is good to know you were trained by one of the best, I am sure you will do the same for Elder McHardy. I understand totally what you mean by being bold, I have always seemed to have the same problem. But what you say is true great things will happen when you have no fear to ask people to change. I have found when I do as I am prompted by the spirt the Lord bless you and those you are serving. And after you do it ya find it is'nt as hard as you thought it would be. I think your like me you dont want to offend anyone or hurt there feelings,but do as prompted and the Lord will bless your actions. I also agree completly with your thoughts on attitude, it is a huge part of being sucessfull as a missionary or anything in life. I can see you have a great attitude and are enjoying your mission very much. Just keep doing what your doing and try to lenghten your stride as much as you can, the Lord will continue to bless you.
      Well things here at home are doing good still not much change . I talked to Keira tonight things seem well for them although she say's she has'nt been feeling to well latley she gets sick when she eats especially meats. Not sure what is upsetting her stomach, I told her she needs to get it checked if it dosnt inprove. I had a overnighter with the teachers quorm, there was a varsity scouts activity on the other side of Utah lake, it was'nt too cold but real foggy and frosty in the morrning when we got up. It turned out to be a good time though I think they learned somr good things about being prepared when out in the mountains.
      Well I better finish up, I am glad to know Elder McHardy is doing good, I am sure that makes things much better for you. I hope it has been a good week for you, and that you have been able to be sucsessfull. I am extremly proud of the great missionary you are and pray you will have happiness and joy in serving the Lord. Have a great week and may the spirt be with you always as you do the work of the Lord.

                                                                              LOVE POPS
 

January 31, 2011 to Red

HI red How are you doing? (haha you see little red.) te he. Anyways how is work going? HOW about school too? I hope all is going well. SO how did you like your letter from Elder Picard? THere should be another in the mail on its way! :) Elder Picard is a funny dude.  SO whats work been like? How are all the good earthlings?  So how is life? Whats aubrey up too? What have you been doing for fun lately? Oh hey how is my Facebook doing? could you pretty please send me another email with Info on who added me, and any recent posts. WEll talk about 20 q's. lol sorry soo life is good here in hemet california! i only have probably about 5 more weeks here. Ive been here for a very lonnggg time. Hemet is quite the interesting place. idk if anybody has ever googled it before. Im sure you would find some crazy stuff. I am still covering 2 wards on bike, and i am still with Elder McHardy! Things are looking hopefull here. Hemet has some huge potential for missionary work. There are so many people here its crazy. All i have to do is be myself have the spirit, and talk with everyone, and i am bound to have success. i just need to be more bold with people you know?? Anyways i guess i am really getting some buisiness man skillz. Well i g2g soon Please write me back i promise to share some good experiences with you when i come acrosss them anyways. HERE is one. so PRETTY much i had a dream come true today. I recieved a brand new un-opened amazing bench, weights and weight bar, and dum bell set for free. I will have to show it to you when i get it set up. I am soo spolied.  SO idk if Aubs still works at bed bath and beyond, but i really enjoy there Oak for men, and Twilight woods for men stuff. Body soap, sprays you name it. SO there are few ideas for the fam if they feel inclined to get me something for my b day. I dont know what else i could ask for right now. I am thinking they can start saving money for me too. Like maybe save money for gas or something. i might want to be picked upp when i am done with my mission. anyways I love you soo much Caitlin I Pray for you, and the whole family that all goes well. There is soo much life has to offer. SOO much, but to really recieve the most precious of all things it requires a little work. Keep it up. 

January 31, 2011 to Missy

HI Missy I am soo happy to have recieved your email! Might i say that your joke about the happy cows is Hilarious. HAHA  WOW Christian Succo got his mission call that is exciting stuff. Ghana Eh Crazy!! Well i might say that i am a little jealous for him. Lol be sure to let him Know that the work in Africa is exploding right now. I actually have a friend that i made in cali who just got to Ughanda a few weeks ago. Actually i ate xmas dinner at his house while his family called him! He is doing great there are people just waiting to be baptized over there. Missionaries have soo much work there its insane. There are people that go up to the missionaries, and ask them to be taught. Everyday is a full day over there. Appointment after appointment after appointment. I am sure you get the point.. Haha i hope he isnt a picky eater. ;)

 

LOOKs like the Butlers have some ballers eh? Grace the glide Butler, and Parker the next Greg Ostertag. LOL I bet Parker will be better. Greg never caught up to coordnation skills. Tell Parker i want him to be able to dunk over me when i get Back.

 

I did get your Package, and it was great! I loved it all. I recieved it the week after new years when i went up to riverside for a leadership training meeting. The mission cannot forward anything other thanUnited States Postal Service. I love the Cuponk game i think it is the best invention ev v v verr it is so cool we have had soo much fun already with it. The music you sent was great too i loved it all. well i got to be going soon. I have typed soo many emails today. Im running out of time.

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Hey there Broseph!!

What's going on in the mission field? Did you know that happy missionaries make happy cows in California? I'm sure you already did. The spirit helps with things like that.

Here's some exciting news: Last week Christain Succo got his mission call! He is going to Guanna, Accra in north Africa. Craziness. He's kind of a pretty boy so it's good for him to see some hard ships and people who are less fortunate. He's super excited, but scared to get his shots. He needs a ton! His mom chatted with a missionary who served there and he got Malaria 3 times on his mission. He called his Mom while only out 3 days and wanted to come home. She said, "Well son, I'd rather you die serving the Lord than come early." Pretty cool. He went on to serve the full two years and loved it. Now he wants to go back to living in a hut. Missions will do that to you I guess.

Parker has got Gabe to come to scout with him. It's good to see Gabe doing something active in the church. Wing is their scout leader and they both love it. We invited the Husks over for dinner last night and all they did was talk scouts. Gabe really want his eagle. They started working on their fitness badge last night and had to record how many pull-ups they could do. Gabe did 7!! Parker did 1/2.... But laughed so hard at myself. Cute kid. And Christian is super buff! Holy cow his biceps are HUGE! Your gonna have to teach him a lesson when you get home. He's feeling pretty tough! While they were doing pull-ups, I saw two Aaron hand prints on my little arch way thingy in the front room. I told the Husks how you did pull-ups on the arch to maintain your honor. They still think that your the bomb!

Well, Parker and Grace are both playing basketball. I'm Grace's coach and loving it. Last game she scored 18 points. I call her Grace "the glide" Butler because she plays so darn smooth. So fun to watch and I must say that I am reliving my glory days through her. Parker is doing pretty good too. Not 18 points good. But still he's playing well. He's got some great hops. Just the timing is off a little. He'll get the hang of it though. He's growing so fast and has huge feet. Size 9! I think that once he has caught up to his growth spurt, he'll be a bit more coordinated.

Hey. Did you get our package for New Years? I tried to include a few things that would be fun. Parker choose the cup-onk game. He thinks that you'd be real good at that and have some good laughs.

Well.... my little missionary...... we miss you tons. Can't wait to see you. Your birthday is coming up soon. Do you need anything?

Love and hugs,

Missy

January 31, 2011 to Kaylee

HELLLOO Kay lees. How you doing prego? LOL I am very excited for you. HOw have you been feeling? is you getting big. When do you want your baby born? whats a good b day? Hey guess what i am no longer going to be a teenager anymore crazy eh? 13 more days!! Well i just recieved a letter from Brooke last week. It took me like 6months to respond to her last letter, I am a horrible letter writter sometimes. I always complain about not having any letters, but thats because i dont write any. lol I just dont care much to write, and recieve letters. P-days is soo fun, and i just like to take it easy u know? Although how hard is it to write a letter or an email. Lol i promise to do better, and include some exciting funny stories. HMMmm i am having a hard time thinking of a especially good story right now. I will be sure to tell you though I am going to email you next week or so, so be ready