June 25, 2008

Hey, so I forgot to tell you my comps dad is the cfo for Budwiser, he's a member though, he's just worked with them for a while. It's kinda funny. I had my first Chicago dog on monday, with everything but ketchup on it, after Zone meeting, at a little place called quick bite. I'd like to inform you that the next day, Yesterday, I was sicker than a dog. I woke up feeling a little nauseated and I went running anyway thinking it would help. I ended up with diahrea. I thought I could go and do missionary work at like 2 ish and I went out. We went to sis. Kampnor's to do service for her,(I don't know if I told you about her, she is the one that her house smells like dead animal and cat crap, she's about a foot tall and has a beard, oh and she's german and "ninety tree") She's a weird one. Anyway we went to her house, I had like no strength, and we took out her weeks worth of nasty trash, infested with cockroaches and then she told us to go home cuz I didn't look so well. She gave us our $5 anyway, we tried to tell her we'd work. On Sunday we also had our first investigator at Church from our area in like 5 or 6 weeks. His name is bill murry he's a little nerdy. He's a catholic, but he told us when we taught him that he was standing by the bus stop thinking about why he hadn't been to church in so long and then we came up to him and talked to him, and that is why he agreed to have us teach him. He said he knew his mom had a bom before she passed away and so he went home and tried to find it. He loves his star trek and he's the pres. of this rpg board game club. He loved church, and unlilke a lot of people we teach he reads the scriptures that we leave with him to read, not only that but he read them, started reading at the beginning of the bom and then started reading what we left him again. He's awesome. President stoddard told elder Purdie "Baptize HIM!!!"
We are also teaching Benny and Katie. Benny just got out of prison in sept. and they are going to be married in a month or so, she is 5 months pregnant. She is 18 and he is 20. They have been prepared for us to teach, he asks all the right questions, and we had a great lesson with them. Afterwards, they asked us to bless their home! The mom said ah let the rookie do it!! I was so nervous. We are teaching them again tonight. They could potentially be baptized also. Speaking of gangbangers. I saw my first gang fight about 10 yards away from me. Friday was my comps year mark so we went to a little burrito place in this spanish part of town to celebrate. When we came out and were standing with our bikes on the sidewalk, this green suburban screeched up and 3 or 4 mexicans jumped out with bats and chains with padlocks on the end of it. They ran at this kid were trying to hit him. The one kid took of his belt and whiled trying to run away tried to whip them with his belt. There were a lot of close calls with the bat almost hitting the one kids face. OH and this is all going on in the middle of traffic in the street with cars honking. The one with the bat finally cracked the kid on the collar bone but he kept fighting. The 3 ganging up on the one were kinda wooses I mean he only had a belt, I'm surprised he didn't get demonlished, he did pretty well. YEah then then talked there little gang talk and ran out of there. The cops were there in about two minutes and talked to Eld. Stratton, (ONe of the kids celebrating with us). So that's the streets of Chicago for ya, I love it here. For a minute there I thought I was in a 50 Cent music video, it was intense.
Sis. Januszewski is awesome, she is one of the few if not the only nice polish person. She feeds us every friday, and it is a good meal too, I think I told you about her, write me if I didn't. ALso here in Chicago you bike a lot and the traffic gets crazy sometimes. ELd. Purdie said that he or another missionary in another area saw a guy pull up to a red light, sniff a line of crack and then take off. That explains some of the drivers here. YOu have to have the speed, strength, and agility of a puma to survive. ONe lady pulled out in front of me and I skidded and then hit her bumper a little, people are messed. I hope you got my pictures last week. Last P day we went into the city. We went up the Hancock building to the 95th floor and ate lunch. I had the cheepest thing a huge $12 hamburger. The view is amazing, you definately have to do that. We walked around town, went to a 7 floor mall and then we had to go home. The L train was packed, we rode armpit to armpit all the way home. It was an awesome day, we might go downtown again today. I can now say "We are missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day saints" in spanish, and they understand me and I am able to get a referral so that the spanish missionaries can teach them. My comp says that I sound like a big time gringo. I'm working on some more, we are also going to learn how to say it in polish from one of the pres. assistants.. I had a guy answer the door in his blue briefs the other day, he was old too. There is also this huge missionary out here from tonga that played for the tongan national rugbee team his name is ELder Kalamafoni, He's awesome. Speaking of huge dogs hate me now and do all sorts of demented things when I see them. We went to one door and a Saint bernard came jumping at the door, I thought it was cool, but my comp said he messed himself. OK I''m not goint to lie this thing looked like a small bear, gigantic mouth too. My comp says that I start carrying the map now and figuring out where we are, it's going to be tough. We laugh so much here though. We also go to this big park, Portage park, and contact people on sat. There are a lot of baseball games going on, also a lot of people playing soccer- it's killing me. Occasionally I can get a kid to toss me the ball and i get a few touches in my sunday shoes. ahhhhh. Baseball is another one of the main religions along with catholisism. People alway wear there cubby and sox stuff, and will say things to each other if you are not wearing the right thing. ONe of the guys in the elders quorumn even said that he was greatful that the cubs beat the pants off the sox. I don't know it's a weird world here in chicago. I cook Chicken and ric a lot. My comp loves my seasoning ideas, and the fact that I know how to cook. The days go by so fast though holy cow. At first we didn't get a lot of dinner appt. but now we are getting a few now, maybe three week is really good. Bro. Mark will also come with us to some of our lessons and then he has taken us out to lunch once. He's really nice, he picks up the whole tab. We met a couple of atheists the other day, and we are now teaching some muslims. Pres stoddard says that we have to find out if muslims will be going home anytime soon and call him immediately cuz they will kill them if they go back home and find out they have talked to us or are members. Crazy people in this world. Well time's almost up sorry I don't have a scripture this week. Tell spence to keep on running 6 days a week for one more week. I think and pray for you all the time. I love you tons family write me back. See ya later Wish
Hey so we've had a couple of rain storms this week so I am going to buy a tail fender cuz my butt keeps geting soaked. Also send the bar for my pull up bar, you only sent part of it, I can't put it together without the long piece. Send some cheep hairclippers also that would make it easier, my companion and I wouldn't have to pay to cut our hair. Thank you for everything else that you sent though, the running shoes are amazing, and my skate shoes are much needed. The priesthood line of authority is cool too. I think I need another garment top though, today is laundry and I woke up and there was no more clean ones though I have to take it off not wear one and wash them. Also maybe send some of my old celexa pills just to help with some of the day to day stress, It's not bad, but I would rather not get too stressed out. I'm having the time of my life but I just want them for those tough days, when I get a thousand doors in the face. Thanks love ya tons mom.

June 18, 2008

I had asked Devin a question from his postcard "What is Foster" because he said that's where he was headed. That's what he is talking about in the beginning of his e-mail.

The Area that I'm actually in is part of the city of Chicago. That's just where our church is, it's a street name. The name of our are in the city of Chicago is Norwood Park. It's not downtown, it's outside. Hey but it's in the city, and it's a biking area. We don't have a car, and my comp tells me we have the biggest biking area and one of the hardest. There hasn't been a baptism here in a year or more. So it's really tough. He said he came into this area last transfer and they didn't have any investigators, so he's been working it hard to get it back to life,because the missionaries here before didn't do anything. I guess that's what most do here is slack off cuz it's so hard. We have been working hard though, we have set a goal to turn it around and work harder than ever. We have gotten 3 new investigators. 1 or 2 of them is really solid. One of them we are teaching the 2nd lesson to tonight so that will be really interesting. They asked us the first night after our lesson to give a blessing on their house because of evil spirits or something bad there. My comp asked them which one they wanted to give the blessing, and they said oh have the rookie do it. I was nervous and scared, I had to do it. So thats our area. I wish I spoke Polish and spanish, cuz that's what everyone is. We could probably talk to twice as many people if we knew those languages. I have learned how to say "we are missionaries for the church of jesus christ of latter day saints" in spanish though. So that helps us to at least refer them to the spanish missionaries. We eat lunch every friday at a polish ladies house, like the only polish member, cuz polish people are usually the meanest to us. She's nice and feeds us well. It was a very european meal, very nice!! We had strawberry crepes for dessert. We are going to try and start learning some polish hopefully, she has been feeding the missionaries for like 28 years! We meet all sorts of races here, Polish, mexican, iraqi, assyrian, egyptian, yugoslavian, chinese, black, you name it they are here. Some I would have never guessed.

Yeah I bought a bike. I haven't seen my package either and we have been calling the president's assistants. When did you send it? I got the bedding though but I'm still waiting for my running shoes, service shoes, and pull up bar. We do service for sister Kampner every tuesday, a "ninety-tree" year old lady. Her house smells like dead animal so we try to stay out in the yard. She's about 4'-9 or 4'-10" she's funny and will tell you her whole life story. She has like 20 cats but yeah I love doing service for her. We offer at the doors to people to do service for them, you know be christlike, and be like ammon the missionary who served the king and then was able to teach him. But nobody will let us do anything for them, so it's nice to do service for her. They have been doing service for her for a while, and she always insists that she gives us $5 each.
I just read it today, and it is an inspiration to me, D and C 87:8. You know I wish I had known the church was true my whole life and had a testimony early, then I would have had a desire to study more. but sometimes you just don't get it quiet yet, after all we aren't rewarded until the trial of our faith. Just remember that, but always strive to live righteously.

June 11, 2008

Hey family, My preparation day is on wednesday now. I arrived in Chicago great. I was our travel leader for the nine of us going to Chicago. We had two elders with us that I didn't know. One was elder Call from LA, California and the other was elder Soares from Brazil. They are both awesome. I liked to talk to elder soares about soccer. Funny story about him though; his debit card wouldn't work at the electronic ticket booth and so we had to go through another. Then as we go through security he forgot he had shaving cream and toothpaste in his cary on. They stopped him made a big deal for a call for a search, and then they confiscated it. We got to make a phone call in the airport which was nice and I talked to my mom. elder soares talked a little longer and so we had to hury to our flight. There was a lady on the plane behind us that was pregnant so she had to go into the bathroom and throw up. You could hear her in the bathroom. When we got there my pres. met us and we were given a book of mormom and some pass along cards and we got on the L-train to go into downtown. I tried to talk to some people but this chinese guy was said he was trying to make some business apointments on his pda. The train was awesome though. Then we got into town and we walked around downtown for a while. The buildings and the city is amazing, there is some amazing architecture. Then we went to uno's pizzeria for some deep dish Chicago pizza. President Stoddard says that it is the best there. I liked the crust the best. Then we went on a tour of downtown some more. We say the Hancock building, the music ampitheater, and the giant metal bean in millenium park. The buildings once again were amazing, and the people so diverse. I have never seen anything like this. My mouth was on the ground. In the park my travel companion and I went and sat down with a couple in the park and just started to talk to them. He was a little nervous and told me so later. They looked nice so I felt alright. We talked and then I tried to teach them about the gospel, and they said, "Whoa, we are devoted christians we don't want anything to do with that, we have some lds friends who have tried to introduce us to the church so it's alright, but we respect ya." So we talked a little while longer and then we went around the town a little more, taking pictures of the huge sky rises and the statues and different sights. Then we got on another train to go to the mission home and then the mission office. We tried to talk to more people but it didn't work out this time either. This train was cool it was a double decker! On the first train one of the elders met satan! A guy introduced himself as satan reincarnate, and just went off on him...yeah i don't know?????? The elder said that it wasn't a very nice experience. We got to the mission office for some orientation, and then we went to the mission home for more orientation. Sister Stoddard is nice, and will give you anything that you need. President Stoddard is pretty funny; he gave us our interviews and then we ate dinner. We slept on bunk beds downstairs, that were so much more comfortable than the MTC. It was great. We woke up this morning (Wednesday) and ate breakfast and had some study time. Then it was off to the chapel for our transfer meeting where we would meet our new companion. My companion is elder Purdie, from Utah. He plays lacrosse, and football and is pretty funny. We are serving in the Norwood park area. Which is at the North end of the city! We're not downtown by any means but you can still see all the huge buildings and it's a cool area. My comp said there's a lot of polish people and hispanics here. After lunch at the mission home we headed to our apartment. It's pretty nice! It's also pretty clean. Then we headed out to get a bike. We got to the bike store and they had like nothing, all of the cheap stuff was ridiculous, and looked nothing like my comps bike and he paid like 400 or 500. The best thing we could get for all of my lock bike and helmet would have been $700, and so we didn't. We had this appointment at the library at 5:00 and I had no bike, and we had to hury. So my comp had a bike so I volunteered to run. He's like are you sure, but at the same time he was glad that he had an in shape comp because his last one I guess was lazy. I think we'll get along great! So I ran and he rode to the library. We got a lot of weird looks from people but we get that anyways. In fact two punks past us and yelled hail satan at us. The people of Chicago are so loving. I'm in the city part though so I'm happy. One guy even yelled out his car window, ya late for work. My comp just said oh no just missionaries. Here I am typing away, after this we are going to another bike shop to try and get me a bike , and then we have to go grocery shopping. I think my comp said that we have a lesson tonight! Yeah! I know for sure he said that we have one tomorrow! The humidity here is nice, I feel nice and moist! Anyway write me back. I get P-day again next Wednesday.
What's up with t-bone? I haven't gotten a letter from Zach and I've written him twice. Why don't you get on him about that.
The scripture for this week is Alma 7:11-12. About this scripture, I want you to know that Christ suffered all this just so that he could know "how to succor his people." Just so that when we are having a bad day he could sit down next to us for a while, be our friend, and say I know how you feel. That is yours and my savior. I love him so much. The Church is true and I am out here to find those elect people god has prepared for me. Those people that I made promises to in the pre-earth life that I would come and find them. I am out here doing my best. Heavenly father and Jesus Christ love us and I love the work already!
I got the bedding thank you so much it looks great, but I haven't used it yet. You're sending all the rest right? I need probably 700 put on my car for a bike and helmet and lock and stuff. Then President said that we need 100 to 150 for all times so just watch that for me. I think I might want my other backpack too but I haven't decided I let you

June 9, 2008

Hey spence the home is good Mom. I don't know why it's called that. Spencers fireside sounds cool, send me more about it. Oh and dad mispelled words are because I'm in a laundry room with dryers going so it's a little warm and I'm typing like a mad man so I can say all that I want to say so ha. Josh congrats on being a girl, that's way cool, I bet all the girls want you now. Just remember keep a leash on it, so you can come and do this awesome mission thing. You got scrapped on your grad party it sound like, you didn't have half of the stuff that we had. Dad thanks for the letter that was way awesome, I can't say it enough about how much this is just like scouts and leadership, especially the leadership meetings in our Zone. Thanks for the ties and the popcorn, the sisters in our district gave me tons of complements on the green diagonal striped one, and my comp is jealous of it. They are way cool and you know I love the popcorn, the card was coolio also. I gotta tell ya a story, I got kicked by this 6-9 byu rugby giant when I pulled a move. He hadn't played soccer so he missed the ball and whacked my leg with his tree trunk of a leg. I thought I was in trouble My first thought was oh no I cant serve my mission now. I got up and started to walk it off and I knew it would be ok. It started to bruise instantly and looked nasty, all the other missionaries said it looked bad when I got hit and you could see the bruising happen. This is for Josh and spence (A new tradition) There's this elder cook who is district leader in one of the younger districts, he really looks up to me and asks me for advice, he says I'm an example for him. Anyway he does this thing in a scottish accent he goes "There's wee, not so wee, and freakin' huge" I'll have to do it for you on the phone when I call tomorrow. My flight leaves at 841 so be ready at about 6 ish.I found my mask and shampoo. I forgot to tell you that they have an ice cream bar on sunday and wednesday. The other elder's in my room including my comp say our room smells like bum, from all my sweat when I run stairs (I know I'm ridiculous). I put my clothes on the vent fan thing to dry and they say it blows the smell around and it smells like hole. I don't smell it though. I have a haircut today though, I'm excited. We had a health and safety meeting and he did this joke he shook and elders had told him he was a urologist and asked him why we need to wash our hands, he told him a urologist examines prostates, and the elder retreated. I got syrup on my pinstripe suit today so I need to get it dry cleaned when I get there cuz I tried to wipe it with a napkin and turned it white. I need along with the other stuff that I asked for my volcom belt, and skate shoes, pants are falling off me. Anyway now to the serious stuff, I hope you got my letter explaining my experience in the referal center with Kim Hurndon from california. I called him back and he had met with the missionaries and loved it and had set up another apointment. So this might be the first fruits of my labor. There have been some amazing experiences here, i almost lost it in sacrament the other day when we sang I believe in christ my voice cracked and I just thought about how I believed and knew the gospel was true and the memories that I had here at the mtc. I'll miss it here. spence be strong in soccer I'll get the workout to ya. here is a scripture alma 26:7 this will boost you up spence and everyone else. After all that's what all I have to here is scriptures love ya tons.

June 2, 2008

Hey what, no emails, not even from dad, it is 888140106@myldsmail.net
How was josh's grad you should make him write me about it. Thanks for the cookies they were good not bad for home made. Tell grandma thanks for the letter it was great. Thanks to spence also for sending me the letter, tell him to work hard and keep me posted. T-bone needs to get on it and quit being retarded. Our first time teaching this week with my companion was good for part of it. I talked most of the time though. So we came out and we had to set a goal and ours was to have my comp talk for the whole ten minutes. So he did and I had to just sit there as he told them that when god sent the flood that was an apostasy and then that the book of mormon and Bible are printed together at the same time and put together into what is called a "quad." Now my comp and I are pro teachers, we are ow working on our second lesson. We used to tease him though that he ate paint chips. I hate sitting all day it hurts my butt. There's a group that just left to Detroit that was in our branch. My comp helped me put my sheets on my bed, because every night my sheets would end up on the floor, and I'm on the top bed so I didn't know why. We went to the temple today and that was cool. I watched Joseph Smith:Prophet of the restoration last night for movie night and that was cool. Every once in a while I run in to the missionaries going to Germany and I have a little short conversation with them, so yeah that's pretty cool. We played a prank on my comp when we were waiting for an appointment, he fell asleep. Then when it was time to go we changed the time on the clock in the office ahead 4 hours and our watches and walked out. Then one of us came in and told him he slept all day and he couldn't believe it he was made. then he checked his watch and that was funny. Then the elders pranked me and set up this alarm clock that is so loud and made it go off at 5:35 and that was anoying.
Soccer is so fun, we met some elders speaking Mandarin chinese and going to New York, canada, D.C. and Taiwan, that's who we play soccer with. We got our flight plans and we leave June 10, at 8:41 and arrive 12:45. I'm the flight leader for that too, for everyone leaving to Chicago that day, sisters and elders are in my group that I don't even know, so that will be interesting. I don't wanna leave the Mtc though it's so much fun here, and it's cool. I'll definately miss playing soccer too and having my meals already cooked for me.
Some of the elders and I took lightsaber pictures with our cams. We use this colored lead and put it in front of the lense and then it lights up and looks like a real lightsaber. Another group just came into our zone and so we aren't the newbies anymore, one of them that is their district leader actually looks up to me and thanks me helping him learn. I am doing laundery again and that's always fun. I've had to solve a couple problems in our district this week but all is good. Today we made sis. wilson do the blue's clues mail dance in order to get her mail it was hilarious. Oh and where is the Shampoo, I haven't been using any cause I can't find it. I need a couple things again. I need some spandex garment bottoms cuz I think the drier burned a brown burn spot into them. I think I'm definately going to get more ties either from chicago or you can bless me with some cool ones that Josh picks out, but yeah I need some variety that way. Oh and I need some of that green face mask or did you pack it? Ship my Running Shoes and Pull-up bar so that it will be there when I get there. I'm going to leave a cool scripture for you that my Branch President, president Patterson, sent me. It is Doctrine and Covenants 84:88, it is awesome and makes you feel comforted, so read that one and it is empowering. well give Peedy a kiss for me and I love you all. Peace and love,
DEV