May 24, 2010

Hey there,

It's getting hotter down here....and it doesn't cool down when the sun goes down.

Yes, I got grandma's card, but it doesn't do me any good right now because the DQ people won't take it. I'm thinking about selling it and using the money to get a tie from Bealls.

I'll tell you right now, the pics were taken at a members house in the country.... so the country area, of a country area.

Yesterday, when I was in the shower, the power went out. I closed my eyes, opened them back up and seriously wondered if I went blind, it was pitch black. the power came back on before we got back from church so the house was not "Texas hot" thank goodness.

We have 2 kids (9 &11) that we are working with (Branch pres.'s nephew's children....the same way Grace & Emma are related to you, I think.) They are doing well and progressing but their parents (less actives) haven't brought them to church. They don't even have to bring them, just get them ready so someone can pick them up. But they sleep in each Sunday morning....Church is at 10:00 by the way.

We were also working with a 16 yr. old boy, but he is moving to California for at least the summer. So we're not sure what is going to happen. We're doing a lot of tracting to try and find new investigators.

This is my planner

Got to go, by

May 17, 2010

Hey there,

Yep P-days are on Monday now. Kind of weird. The reason why they moved it was so that we can use this new utility the church came out with to include our weekly numbers in our email, if that makes sense. Our numbers week runs from Sun.-Sun. so on Monday we now report our numbers from last week to our mission president along with our weekly letter.

So as you saw and maybe listened, I bought a recorder from Walmart. It was an RCA brand for about $35. I can email the files, but I can't put files from the computer back on to it and listen to them. So, I am going to return it today. I think you will probably have to ask the "missionary moms" which one they use. If we can't figure it out I will probably just buy another one like this and send you the files.

The misquotes (and other biting, flying insects) are out! They have been feasting upon my arms. Oh, I did get the package and the watch thank-you!! I did get your letter. That is really weird he got called to Houston Texas. I was thinking how weird it would be if he (Tyler Christensen -cousin) came here....and even weirder if I trained him. So close.... I wonder if any of the 3 of us will ever get transferred into each others missions if they rearrange the stake boundaries again. I was also thinking about how nice it will feel when next summer comes knowing that it will be my last one and that Tyler still has 2.

I cut my hair yesterday, It is now a #3 on top and a # 2 up the sides. It is getting hotter and hotter, and it doesn't cool down when the sun sets. Not much anyway. But I think I am adapting somewhat.

Last Thurs. I went over to Woodvile on exchanges. We did service and put insulation in the top of this small barn/shed/thing. It was like 86 out side, at least 90 inside and at least 95 (probably more), up in the rafters. I don't know that I have ever had sweat from my face drip into my eye before. It wasn't that bad, but we were in service clothes not a white shirt and tie. I also don't know how humid it was.

President also announced on Weds. that on the 31st we will be having a bi-zone p-day in Vidor. He (president) said that he, his wife, and the assistants will be coming also. He said he wants it to be a day for us to "let our hair down"....says our bald mission president. We think we are going to be playing softball among other things.

Well I'm almost out of time. Cameron only needs to be in a cast for 2 weeks?

got to go love you Bye

May 11, 2010

Hey,
It was great to talk to you on Sunday. Made me kind of homesick though. 6 1/2 more months to Christmas.

So, I'm not sure what to tell you, not much happened yesterday. In the middle of a lesson at about 3:00 I got really light headed and dizzy. So we had to go back to the apartment so I could lie down. It got better after a nap, but it didn't really go away until I woke up this morning. No idea what it was or what caused it, but it's gone now.

I decided for my 6 months mark I am going to go to Bealls, the only Dept. store in Jasper,(it was like walking into Kohl's or JC Penneys at the mall, it was refreshing) and get a nice 6 month tie. I wish I could think of something else to say. I know you want to here more.

Oh, you'll get a kick out of this. I got a suit from goodwill for $16 it is a little small but for $16 I think it is worth it in case I ever need a suit for tracting or whatever. It is gray w/ faint light blue pinstripes.

Oh, I saw an improvement in my teaching this week. Normally I struggle on transitions
(between principles) but in one lesson this week I made a excellent transition without really doing anything different. It definitely was not just me though, it was mostly the spirit.

No I haven't received the package yet. I hope I get the watch today. I don't think those recorders will be at Walmart, you can check though. I will keep my eyes open for them too.

I recommend if Cameron wants anything out of my room he should have someone else email me the question. It is difficult to follow all of his letters and I forget what questions were asked in the letters.

Please tell me when you know where Tyler Christensen (cousin) got his call to.

Well, I'm almost out of time, can't complain though. I remember when I got only 30 minutes and no exceptions if the computer was stupid.

Alright I'll write you all next Wednesday!
Love you Bye!!!

May 5, 2010

Hey there,

Did you get last weeks email? I sent it again to both you and dad just in case. I am going to start doing that with all my emails in case one doesn't work for some reason.

This week Elder Clark got sick. Sunday night he was up for like 3 hrs. puking. Or so he tells me. I think the spirit prompted me to put my earplugs in, (I got them because he had been snoring in his sleep). It was the first time I had ever slept with them in and I slept through the whole ordeal.

So, Monday night we got a couple of lessons in. Yesterday I only left the apt. to go out to the car, didn't even get dressed up. Having nothing to do and being bored just before a phone call in not good. It makes you homesick and trunky. So one of the things I did yesterday to preoccupy myself was reminisce of our trip to DC. I put all the monuments/museums we visited as favorites in the GPS. I also marked the SLC, Bountiful, and Logan temples, the Conference Center, and all the addresses on that orange piece of construction paper you gave me. Speaking of that, could you ask Carrisa and Kyle for their new address? Also, when I went to put Shane and Donna in there was already a little car on a lift over their address that said Egan automotive I thought that was kind of cool. Needless to say I was bored yesterday.

F.Y.I. P-day will be on Tuesday next week. So I won't get any letters written on Wednesday morning.

It is starting to get really humid down here, not looking forward to the summer. I also hit 5 months on Sunday, can you believe that?

So our monthly miles budget is 1465 miles. Last Thursday 4/29 we were at about 1405 miles. Well, we had to go to Beaumont for a leadership meeting. We drove to Sillsbee so we could carpool with those Elders the rest of the way. Ya.... their battery was dead, and they had to give a blessing at a hospital. The GPS could not find the hospital. Then we had to drive over to Woodville so Elder Clark could do a baptism interview. By the end of the day we had gone 236 miles. That's almost a 5th of our monthly limit in one day....at the end of the month!

I wish I could tell you a really cool spiritual experience because I know that's what you want to hear but I can't think of any at the moment, sorry! We don't have anymore baptisms line up until the start of June (5th) just before transfers.

Elder Gardner says he sent his pictures of our baptisms in Jan. & Feb. home. So, you could email his mom for copies of them. I never took any, I always left my camera in the car and meant to copy them off his memory card, but never did. I've filled up all the micro cassets I have so I will send those home either today or next week. I might send the memory card with them.

Well I got to go, talk to you on Sunday.
Love you Bye!

Yes, and I got the GPS it came on Saturday. Go figure, one package takes 6 days another 3 days!

I will probably call Between 2-3 central no promises though church is from 10-1 here plus branch correation meeting until about 1:30 so defenitly after that. We're going to talk with members today about using their phone on Sunday.

April 28, 2010

Hi,
No, I did not get transferred, neither did Elder Clark. Elder Hoffman in Woodville did though.

I sent an email to dad with pictures in case it didn't work with your hotmail account.We did have our baptism on Saturday (There should be pictures at the end of this email). It is incredible to watch how hard Satan work against us. We got a text from L___ @ 12:00 midnight saying that she was going to need a ride to church. We tried to call and find out/fix the problem Sunday morning but her phone was dead. So, we missed PEC with the branch council driving all over Jasper trying to make sure L__ would be able to come to church and be confirmed.

The original plan was that L__ was going to ride with her member friend D___. We figured she was probably sleeping over at D___'s house that night because she said, "'We need a ride." We went over to D___'s house only to find out that they weren't there. Sis. C (D___'s mom) got D___'s Cell # for us and helped us figure out that the girls were at L__ house. D___'s car was there, but she didn't have her key. Don't ask me how that happened. So, we ran a spare key up to L___ house and made it back just in time for the end of PEC. L__ & D__ did make it to church & L___ was confirmed as planned.

You asked if we have to teach a lot at church. Not really. We pass the sacrament probably 1/2 to 1/3 of the time but that's it really. We say a prayer every once in a while.

We have probably 4-5 promising investigators we are working with at the moment. We will see how they all turn out.

I don't know why that email won't send ( April 14). I copied it and tried again.

Tell Tyler he should start working on his Spanish now. There is a family here who have a daughter in the Uruguay mission (she comes home in august) she went to the Argentina MTC and if I remember correctly they said she had to go tracting in the area around the MTC her first or second day! He can ask Seth if he had to do that (That's where Seth F. went right?)

I wish I could tell you another story but I don't have the time, I wish I had learned to type properly.


The Missionary that baptized L__ is Elder Fairbourn. Jasper was his first area 18 or 19months ago. Just goes to show, you never know what seeds you may plant.


Love you all

Elder Clark is the one on the right with the flower in his mouth.
This was after District meeting last Friday.

April 14, 2010

This weeks letter is MIA--Missing in action. Hopefully, more news next week.

April 21, 2010

Hey,
Sorry that is all you got I sent that off at the beginning of the e-mail session hoping you would maybe answer it before I got off. {He asked what kind of GPS?} I'm not sure why you didn't get my other letter. My email said it sent it off, maybe because we were emailing from a different place. I sent it to you again. I also sent a copy to dad just in case it didn't work again.

So, for either Friday night or FHE I strongly recommend watching "The Best 2 Years". Maybe it was funnier for me because I am on my mission, but it was hilarious and pretty realistic. The missionaries were all really extreme but I would not be surprised if there are some missionaries that are like that.

As you probably know Elder Spackman is going home in a week. One of my zone Leaders Elder Frakes has been assigned to fill the calling. It is pretty unusual actually, Elder Frakes has only been out a little over a year. Usually that calling is filled by more senior missionaries. So right now I only have one zone leader until transfers on Monday. He is bouncing around with some other missionaries in Beaumont. I don't know if I will be transferred or not. I think it's a 50/50 chance.

We have not got mail today yet, but I still have not gotten the GPS package. I have not had the chance to mail that package yet but I will today. Also I had a Black Jerry Garcia tie That was tearing in the back. Would you please send it out the next time you send something, I'll even sew it in my spare time if I need to.

We still have a baptism this Saturday. The interview is tonight. So, we are pretty sure it will go through. Elder Gardner is hoping to make it back for it.

Something else I wrote down to tell you, I have learned to love to mix my rice with whatever comes with it chili, gumbo, ect.

Also, on a sad note the bishop of the Buna ward died on Monday. A tree fell on him, not sure what happened beyond that.

Almost out of time, love you bye,

We cut this tree down 2 weeks ago after wards we learned it was really dangerous and we won't be doing it again.

Sorry still no picture of Elder Clark, that's him in the red.

I had more time than I thought. Um, tell Robin not to complain to me about going back to school "now I've got homework, now I've got to get up early, now I don't get to see my family (cousins, aunts and uncles) for a long time." Don't even give that to me Robin! You will see your family again before 2 years. You can call them if you want. You can still sleep in on Saturdays and holidays, so don't complain to me. {Apparently, Wesley feels strongly about this}

It is getting hotter down here. Its getting into the 70/80's now, not looking forward to summer. But maybe because it was so cold this winter, or because of the volcano in Iceland it will be a cooler summer.

I can't believe school is almost out. It is the first time in 12 years that school ending means nothing to me. It's weird!

Ok got to go now,
Love you, bye!

(These are my favorite things from my mission so far. The Bom (Book of Mormon) is from President Mouldenhauer. We are going though and marking all references to Christ right now. the Beanie baby is a polar bear given to me by some members. The gator head I bought at a gas station in Orange.....It's from Florida.)