September 26th Letter

Howdie Krอb Khrua (Family)

Well this week was great despite the adversity which we encountered. We had 4 really important Investigators decide that they weren't interested in the gospel anymore. That includes 3 people who were going to be interviewed for baptism this week, it was a rough time. One was the lady who had a problem with tithing, she decided that it was all just too hard and she needed to take a break for a while (everyone knows, including her, that that isn't a good thing). Another one of the invetigators decided that she "liked" Elder so we ended up giving her to the sisters to teach onward (but not until after a really awkward phone call that she made). Even with this bad news we still had some good come out of it. We saw some progression with the Ward, the members saw that the investigator that has come to church 13 times now isn't being baptized. It got everyone asking why, and we were able to answer lovingly that it was because the ward wasn't helping out (that is the first step of repentance, admitting what they have previously done wasn't right). We didn't do a whole lot this week just a lot of inviting, I knocked on so many doors! You would think after a year and a half of knocking on doors I would be pretty good at it, but nope, still bad! I think it has become easier but obviously I need some improvement.

Funny story: We were in a big meeting with President Smith. He was talking about key indicators and all the numbers and what not in the mission, and then at the end he was like "But out of all the numbers that are important, this number is the most important (writing on the board) 54-10 (he is a Ute fan). Everyone was like OUCH! Always trying to rub it in!!!

I constantly feel like there is less and less to write about because I'm not doing anything different these days and nothing exciting is happening in the area. All the things I do are fun and good but it is also the mundane stuff and it really isn’t easy to write about. I feel like I will have a few stories to write about, like in the next few weeks Elder Iverson and I are going to go try some new foods, like alligator, cobra, dog and stuff, and then once we get our area back up and pumpin' we will have some people getting baptized and then I will have all kinds of stories and pictures to send home.

Anyway thanks for the letters, I love you guys. And I am so grateful for the support and the letters (I'm sorry mine are so short), but don't think that it means I love you any less.

Movies: DaVinci Code, The Pacifier, and National Treasure. Theme: Blockbuster busts, just kidding – I don't know.

I need some razors so if you could send me some that would be greatly appriciated; also I broke my camera (I think it still works a little bit) but if you have any ideas on what to do there let me know.

September 19th Letter

Well Fams
 
This week was really great. We just had a whole ton of success!  We have quite a few people who have accepted commitments to be baptized, and we even have quite a few new investigators.  I am really excited about this last week even though nothing really spectacular happened, it seems about the same as you guys – a week that wasn't too full of excitment but still good.  We are really looking forward to this next week as well; we get to go to a training thing and then pretty much just work all week. I think we will be able to get a lot of good work done if we can work in our area a lot the next few days.  I think I would like to find more families.  I know like that was something we focused on a lot back when I was a greenie, but It seems like the people that we have found in the past few days/weeks are all single.  That is ok, because we will continue to work for families.
 
I don't really have a lot to say so I guess that I will tell you of an experience that I had in teaching. This week we were teaching an investigator about the Law of the Fast. We told him that we need to fast at least once a month, and then give the offering to the Bishop.  We told him that we fast to ask for blessings and for special concerns or to give thanks, or for anything really.  Anyway, when we commited them to do it they said no... They have learned everything before. They have committed to pay tithing, they stopped working on Sunday, they stopped worshipping idols and threw them away, they gave up coffee and what not. They did all that, and in the end, the commitment they say they can't keep is the one where they don't eat food for two meals.  I find it so funny that people get caught up in the little things.  All the hard things they can do A-OK but the easy stuff they stumble on.  It is the same with all of us. I think it is usually the small stuff that keeps people out of heaven. I would bet that on really busy days these people have skipped two meals, but when we commit them to do it for God, they refuse.  It is things like this that make me stressed.  Oh well, strengthen their faith and try again. 
 
I really like that quote from Bronco how he said that as he stood in front of the cougar club he felt like he was in front of the Pharasies and the Sadducees because they forgot what our purpose is.  You know that is really true, sometimes I think people forget that the purpose of this church is to spread the gospel.  We know the truth and we want everybody to know the truth also.  We have a prophet, apostles, missionaries and all the members to help spread that message.  So I would say that even though they play football and build character and what no, it it is still the responsability of the BYU football team to spread the gospel. And we can do that whether we win or lose.
 
I totally forgot to tell you the movies last week. but I did know them. this week the movies are "Hocus Pocus" and Wizard of Oz. Theme: Witches, or even better than that sister witches.มั้ง (In your face).
 
Well I love you guys, tell the family I love them too.
 
Have a great week.
 

September 12th Letter

Dearest Family,

So this time I am really rushed to get the letters out so it probably won’t be as long or as detailed as my last letters – I know you probably thought it couldn't get less detailed, but today it probably will.

This week has been kind of fun. A little bit slower due to the fact we have fewer investigators then usual, and I got a new companion – his name is Elder Iverson. Yeah, the same Elder Iverson that was in my MTC district. I think this is the first time that president has ever put two elders from the same MTC group as companions but it is pretty sweet. We are getting along really well. The last few days have been a lot of fun. I think we have both changed a lot in the last year and a half so these days we are just the best of friends at least that is how I feel. I Hope he doesn't just think I’m an idiot!!!

Anyway, everyone else that moved into the Zone I know you won't know them because I don't even know them. It seems like everyone has been paired up ok. There were a lot of missionaries that went home and a lot that came in so I think this last move made President Smith a little stressed. All is well In Zion.

As for our investigators this week: We have a way sweet investigator that wants to be baptized, her name is Rin. She has a lot of faith and seems to get all kinds of answers through her prayers (personally I think she hears the answers because she is in touch with her feelings). She notices the Holy Spirit and it seems to be changing her heart really fast. We also have another investigator who needs to be baptized because he is practically living every principle that the church teaches, including having a year supply of food. We went to his house yesterday and he had about 50 huge bags of rice. He said he thought it was a smart idea to save up just in case. I totally know that people are prepared to meet the missionaries.

Other then that this week has just been kind of slow and boring, but the next couple of weeks the work will pick up and it will be way good. I'm glad that all is going well at home, the Stake Conference sounded like it was good. I hate going to meetings and just getting fluff. I have really come to love the simple doctrines of the gospel, repentance or the atonement or the restoration or faith. I just love the simple stuff that we can never hear too often. I feel like if we taught more of these simple doctrines in our meetings then peoples faith would be more strengthened.

Anyway, Maren sent me pictures of you guys during the party. You all looked very happy. It made me happy to see good happy family. This week I saw a bunch of broken and unhappy families this week. It really made me grateful for where I came from. (Engrish has become his second ranguage).

Ok I love you guys have a good week.

Howdie Parents,Alright, I will take you up on the taco time crispy chicken burrito bet. I LOVE MEXICAN FOOD! I miss it so much. I had it for the fist time in a year and a half last Wednesday. AH - it was so delicious, I had nachos. I also had Dr. Pepper for the fist time since I became a missionary, heaven on earth. Anyway the movies are Jumper and Batman, and the theme is... ok นึกไม่ออก (I give up)! Something about trying to capture the hero?

Well this last week was a blast. It doesn't seem like a whole lot happened but it was actually pretty eventful. Like the special meeting with Elder Gong, and dad, he did remember you. He is a very intelligent person, and a really nice guy. Pretty much the whole meeting was about virtue and moral cleanliness. He also talked a little bit about people's countenances, it was a really good meeting. It seemed to lift everybody's spirits and just give them a good spiritual boost. It was pretty cool because the other person that came is the Second Counselor in the Young Mens Presidency. He gave a good talk on his concern for the young men these days. I fell like I learned a lot.

Something else happened pretty cool yesterday, Elder Larson was called to be the next AP (Assistant to the President). He is a really good fit for AP. They need somebody that has his kind of knowledge. He is different then all the other APs that I've seen get called. Usually they are really overbearing and เเรง (I don't know how to translate this word), but Elder Larson is kind and gentle. It will be interesting to see how people react to somebody who compliments them all the time in stead of chews them out and complains. I'm excited for him.

This next Thursday is transfers so I will know who my new companion is on that day. I'm not sure who it is going to be but I think everybody is a good choice. Every zone leader area is getting a new Zone Leader called so it will be fun to be with someone who doesn't already have a preconceived notion of how a Zone Leader is supposed to be. A lot of people think that as a leader you get to slack off in your own area (because you have to worry about other areas too) but that is a bunch of bologna! I just want someone who will work twice as hard so we can get all of it done.

As for you guys it seems like everything is going well and right. I'm so happy that BYU won! Next game will be so good, I'm way nervous for both sides, I don't want either of them to lose. It is good that BYU has such a tough schedule to start the season, it is the same as life. In order to grow and get better you need some trials and adversity. If BYU wants to be a really good team for the next two years, they need to play these hard teams to help them grow. See the gospel can be likened to any part of our life, even football.

As you guys were talking about sacrament meeting, and how the bishop got up and talked about the sacradness of the sacrament because it is what needed to be said in that moment, it made me think of our bishop. Yesterday between the 3 companionships of elders and sisters we had over twenty investigators at church. That means that a third of the people who were there weren't members. Anyway, the bishop got up to bare his testimony and realized that nobody in the audience was understanding what he was saying so half way through his testimony he had to dumb it down. He ended up just promising everyone blessings if they kept the law of tithing and what not. It was pretty good but I think all the investigators thought he was asking for donations - Oops!Anyway that is all I think I have, I love you guys. Thanks for your letters and talk to you next week.

p.s. I was thinking about going and getting my eyes checked out, I think I need glasses. I figured out that everything gets blurry in my right eye, who would have thunk it. Also I'm eventually going to get around to finding a dentist, I may just kill the two birds with the one stone.