May 3, 2010

Just read both your letters and for some reason I'm so stoked! Feel like I just took a trip home and caught up on things I'm missing! Some really good news from both of you (mom and dad). Mom I got so scared! I quickly scrolled through your email and saw the pictures of you looking dead! I almost panicked but I did a quick skim and found out it was from the little guinea pigs, that's pretty funny wish I could have been there to see it. And thanks for the other picture, I don't know why she has to get 10x as cute when I leave but that's OK. I'm glad you liked the book I sent you, I saw it in one of our Bishops home's and I had to get it. The photography is nuts. So happy Lindsay had a good birthday, that's great Paige went over there too, first time I wasn't able to surprise her for her birthday, but I made a note to work extra hard that day and I did. I love the news you gave me! Sounds like Taren and Dave are loving it, especially Dave. If I was home I would be sleeping over there and helping Dave, totally wish I could be there to set up his theater system I'm sure the place looks good. ALSO finally my headache can go away, every person in our area has a sprinkler system because it's like a desert here and all I thought about this week was chore I left you guys of fixing it. But it sounds like Dad was able to figure it out and everything is working just fine. I love both your emails and they really are the perfect length, man I just love hearing from you guys. I really do have the greatest parents in the world and I am just so thankful for the way I was raised, couldn't ask for anything more. My favorite thing to tell people about is my family, if they ask, telling them about my FOUR sisters! It's great. Love all of you. The perfect team.

So this week was great, and of course went by so fast! I figured out some days may go by really slow but from week to week it seems like a blink. I'll share a few cool facts about this week before I jump into some of the great moments I had the opportunity to enjoy! So yesterday I met the first soft coated wheaton terrier I have met yet AND it was a runt!! So basically it was Macy, now no joke I almost cried. It was a boy, the family loved him but they couldn't hardly handle him because he was not trained whatsoever! They have to keep him outside because he ruins the house so bad but he was still adorable. They don't like the beared as well and keep his hair short as well, he had the same look on his face as Macy does when she's super excited! I got on my knees and this thing just took me out, great but sad moment lol. OH also we got moved into a different zone, the Draper Temple Zone. So we are of course in the same area just we are part of the Draper Temple Zone not the Cottonwood Zone (it makes no sense). But the cool fact here is I have seen and been 100 feet away from Mike Weir's house. He lives right by this really nice chapel, I guess his wife and kids are members just LA and the missionaries told us he doesn't accept home teachers or visits, but thought dad would like that. OH also yes we do get paid for a lot! It's about a 50/50 chance when you go out to eat, although we try not to eat out a lot. Other day someone paid for us and then another person came up and gave us a 20 and we said NO but they just forced it into our hand. It's something your defiantly thankful for because it's hard sometimes with 120 a month to afford all the groceries and what not. OHH one more, is Jason related to the Begglays? He's in the stake presidency and he said he is related to Lows from southern Alberta, he thought from Lethbridge though??? Let me know.

Alrighty time for news on my week. This mission defiantly has some advantages, although some disadvantages too. Sometimes you feel like you are stuck in this little box for the whole week but on the other had we have the blessing of being so close to downtown Salt Lake. So this week there was a "celebration of family history" at the conference center, we were given the opportunity to go there if we had investigators who where willing to go. Well of course that wouldn't be to hard, we went with our lovely family the Rosendolls and there mother Pat Christenson. At the event President Eyring and David McCullough (NM) spoke and they had about 6 videos and the Mo Tab (my fav, Mormon Tabernacle) playing during the night. This could literally be one of the highlights of my mission. First of all it wasn't totally "church organized", for instance the opening prayer was given by some sweet black baptist minister and there was no closing prayer. President Eyring didn't end with Amen but thank you and there was a lot of clapping going on, so that was a little weird to hear a Prophet of the Lord being clapped for during his talk/speech, but there was a lot of non members there. The church has some unbelievable videographers and editors or whatever they are called. These videos are filmed and edited so artsy, I was just squirming in my seat with each flick they put on. But the by far greatest thing of the night was the Mo Tab and the orchestra! They present the spirit like no other. They sang "Amazing Grace" with the pipers and then later on in the song the snare drums come in! The bag pipes and the drummers were way to powerful, the snare drums just filled the center. This song literally brought tears to my eyes as I thought about the savior and enjoyed the beautiful lyrics. It was perfect violins and everything, I am so lucky.

So there is the big bang of the week, but the rest was great as well. So I think I told you last week but maybe not Sis. Christenson's (76 year old Gramdmas) baptism is this saturday, May the 8th. We are doing it then so on the next day when she talks to her grandson who is serving in Chile she can tell surprise him on the phone and say she was confirmed a member of the church today! So exciting it really is a miracle, she has never had a lesson with the missionaries ever and always just turned them down. But I believe having a grandson on a mission softened her heart and she was to give in to us and just listen to a portion of our words! We got her hooked on that first lesson!

So we have four baptisms coming up Sis. Christenson, Justin and Emily Isom, and Jim Kerr. They all have dates and are looking really solid, there are a few others but some are going to be a lot of work. One of them David Evans is a recovered meth addict and we are helping him quit smoking right now, he's 28. It's a little more difficult with him but it will happen.

Sometimes the days go real slow because everyone is working, no one to share the gospel with but the nights make up it big time! It is the greatest feeling to see someone make progress, going from no belief in God to knowing there are prophets on the earth today! Me and Elder England continue to focus on bettering our teaching skills and as we do our lessons become more spiritual. During the day you get people who will shake your faith with crazy comments and questions that hit your soul but it is at night in those lessons where you feel the saviors love for you.

OK I think this was a long one, I can't wait to talk to you guys on SUNDAY! It's going to be so weird and exciting! So I will be calling from the Rosendoll's house (my new parents) between 7 and 9 at night! That's this Sunday! Please be home and make sure that certain someones there as well hehe. I can not wait though it will be so fun! Only an hour though, wish we could just have a whole day. So maybe be ready a little earlier just in case the plan changes but I DEF won't call from 1-4.

Ok enjoy your week everyone, I'll work hard and tell you all about it on Sunday. Take care and love you all.