T-bone you're my hero, take it easy. My companion likes to climb and he's from Tucson, Arizona. He's kindof a girl scout though because he doesn't like to get sweaty!! Hey what classes are you taking?
Anyway give this to Spencer:
Hey what up little Shorty. That's hood talk. So R-10's did you say? I haven't seen those. Summer is almost over for you dude. How has it been? Have you done anything cool? How are your tournaments going. I pray for you guys everynight, morning, always. OH so how's your running going. Try and increase and like once a week or so do like 25 or so minutes, and then the other days that you run try and run for the 20 min, but try to run a little faster. We'll get to speed work later. Just have fun though and keep with your push ups and sit ups, that way throw those girls you play to the ground instead of the other way around. Love ya tons Bro.
Hey mom so we email at this members home in their photography business. I'm going to be on for 10 or 15 min and then we have to go grocery shopping for maybe 30-45 min and then I'll be back to email more. I really want to email back and forth.
917 B Chapin Street
Beloit, WI 53511
That's my new address, we have a weight bench their, It's an old and small apartment with no dishwasher, I miss that , and the bigger place that was newer and nicer in Chicago. I you can't IM with LDS mail you have to do it just back and forth. The two girls wereCharlotte Daily and I don't know the other, but I got all the others you gave me. That was a ton, but really cool. Technological you know from the Anderson girls girl camp talk. We drove to Beloit, from Arlington heights, which is where transfers are held. My old Comp went to Garfield Park, which is in Chicago, it's the ghetto of the mission one of the roughest areas in Chicago, rougher I've heard than some of the south stuff. Stuff you send to the mission home is forwarded to the Zone leaders and then they give it to me a like a District meeting on mondays. That's how I got it, and I did get it. Thank you so much it was awesome, I love it. Saw josh's bike too, it's older, and not what I pictured, but that was cool to see the T-bone. So I'll be on for 10 or 15 more try and get back to me.
K mom I can't use Yahoo messenger. We have to just send emails back and forth. I'm only here for a minute or two and then I have to go grocery shopping. I'll be back to email more in 30-45 min. around 2ish my time so 1ish your time. Love you tons.
So this week was decent. I miss the larger, newer, nicer, dishwasher equipped apartment in Chicago. I miss biking around, but I love the weight bench that we have. When we got to the apartment there was a ton of trash on this balcony. We started to smell a foul smell below in the driveway. It smelt of seawater and dead animal. We didn't think it was the trash though. Eventually the lady below us said she could smell this horrible stench, and that it was coming into her kitchen. She asked us to take out the trash. One night, when we arrived home we went to investigate. I was first on scene and I opened the door off our kitchen that led to the balcony, and was hit with a wave of humid wretch. It was quite possibly the foulest stench ever. We brought the garbage cans upstairs to load the garbage in, as this garbage had also acquired some moisture. My companion put on surgical gloves and I had some tissues. We set up fans in the kitchen to blow the putrid rank out. I was horrible. My comp loaded the trash, as I handed him garbage cans and then hauled them downstairs. The trash was juicy, so it was a good thing we didn't bring it through our apartment. We worked quickly though, coordinating our movements to be most effective. However the smell had penetrated our kitchen. Our only hope was a can of pledge that we had discovered under our sink. I began to saturate the deck and kitchen floor. We proceeded through our living room and down our stairs... following the putrid trail of bile. We then went to the garbage cans and continued to perscribe a heavy dose of pledge. It was a good thing we performed this task without ties, as it was no high school prom. I have to thank the elders before us for this wonderful gift that they left us. This was not all though. The garbage man was not to arrive until Wednesday. The smell remained in the driveway, but the woman from down under was content to perform her daily hippie activities without complaint. When we removed the cans to the street, and after the waste engineer had performed his duty, we noticed in the lid a large population of maggots! Oh joyous day. Today we were in need of provisions, and so made our journey to the nearest Wal-Mart Supercenter. In returning I endeavoured to stow my fruit in the vegetable bin and was once again acquainted with the entrails of the previous elders. In the back of the drawer there layed a large pool of coagulated blood. To the supplies closet I flew, through open the door, and extracted a sufficient bottle of scrubbing bubbles. This I sprayed vigorously on the mess, allowing to soak for a time before scrubbing it off. The high content of bleach struggled to break down the aged cake layer of blood, but eventually victory was had. Thus another day in the war zone, and all is safe and clean at our appartment. More reports to come from the battlefield.
So yeah crazy. Anyway, I uuuuuuuuuuhhhh, basically have a part in my hair now. I know it's intense. I had to pray for it, and it's still not a perfect part, but if God can part the Red Sea he can part my hair. I have had it for almost a week now. My companion isn't exactly as obedient as my last. I was awoken on the way home from transfers to "The summer of '69." I had to change that. He has some other music that I've had to shut off, and we have had some disagreements. He also can be a real downer sometimes. He has no faith in tracting, and doesn't like to do it. I have to work and compromise. Sometimes he consents though. Yesterday we tracted most of the day until we did service just before dinner. It feels good to work hard. I have had little disagreements with him on tracting also. He is getting better though and I continue to strive and push. I want to work hard and make every minute count, but sometimes it feels like that is not happening. I will continue to push him, because I don't want any regrets at the end. He's a pretty boy too I think. He hates to sweat, and brushes off his hands alot. He's not all bad though, we have had a day or two where we have ahd some really good teaching. I am getting used to being in a car, and seeing corn. That however is only outside of Beloit and the other cities. In Beloit, I am basically in a pretty decent "Hood." There are tons of Black people, which is pretty much fantastic, as they are my brotha's. That is pretty much the sole population. The other night there was a large gathering of "The Hood" near a basketball court and the street in front. They took up most of the road and as we drove by we were forced to go very slow. As we passed they stared and looked at us. Pretty intense! I might also mention that it was 5 months ago, on a street nearby that two missionaries were shot at. I'm am preaching the gospel in the hood, to black people. I love black people. IN fact the other day we taught Derryl and I think it was his girlfriend on their porch. He was all decked out like 50 cent. It was awesome. At the end when we asked to leave with a prayer they asked me to say it and held out their hands. We had a holding hand prayer! Awkward? Yes! We have a return appointment with him. The other day on a senior citizen street, a lady invited us in to view her extensive collection of Catholic pictures of Christ. She also had a lot of crosses because, "The devil was not going to get her." She showed us in her bedroom where she prayed, and her dish of holy water on the wall. She dipped her fingers and crossed herself, she then dipped again and dabbed my comp's forehead. She proceed to do the same with me. How weird is that. I've been blessed with holy water!
I miss my bike here though. My comp says he's going to get a bike, but he is so cheep. He won't spend hardly anything on food. He saves his money for little things he wants. He could get a bike from sis. Stoddard for like $50, I don't know. Well I am getting used to this new area. The ward here is very supportive. We usually have a pretty full dinner calendar. It's nice to be able to sit down in a family setting again. On Sunday we went to this one house and had halibut and salmon that he had caught on his trip to alaska, and corn on the cob! The corn was awesome. They said to get used to having corn at this time of year. The scripture for this week is Alma 8:30-32. This is awesome, how the lord truly blesses missionaries. Think of two missionaries when you read this.
Make sure that you save all of my letters that I write home. Print them off and put them in a binder. If you want to you can do that with the letters that you sent me. I printed off the perfect day thing here. I don't know how much I can print off though.You're the best mom ever, Don't you ever forget that!!!
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
July 23, 2008
So now since I'm here, we do email at this photo business that this family runs, and we can do it for as long as we want. They also let us do our laundary here and use their soap. So we can instant message and email each other for as long as we want on Wednesdays.
Yeah the baptism was great, and the cool thing about this one is it is one that we found, not one that was already being taught when I got here. So this is a complete one, and he's got a famous name. It was cool my comp did the baptism. He was really stiff going down into the water, for a second I thought he was going to start flailing. I got to do the Confirmation and holy ghost, and his first blessing in Sacrament meeting. I was so nervous, but a couple of people said it was a beautiful blessing and Bill said "thanks for all the blessings you poured out on me." At the baptism there was maybe 10 people including us and Bill, so my comp had it easy, he only has to say a short thing, mine is a lot longer. So I got up to do the Confirmation and I was nervous. I had a couple of ideas of things that I wanted to say, but that was it. Then things started to come to me, it was really cool. OH and Bill asked me to give a talk at his baptism also... anything else I can do!! It went well though, I don't mind talking. It was a cool experience to see him baptized. The Lord truly does bless us. It is the Spirit that converts people not me, not missionaries, not anyone. It's the Spirit that works through us. We are just the instruments, the sweat and the marrow. If you put for the work and the effort and strive to be obedient then the Spirit can work through you and the Lord can bless you. This is not my baptism, remember that, this is the Lord's, this is the result of the Spirit working through a humble soul that has been prepared by the Lord, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. I look forward to continuing to harvest this white field.
Oh so you wanted to know about my comp running with me. He has rode his bike along once before, but since he got hit by the car his leg acts up a lot and he has tried to run a couple times but has stopped completely now for 2 weeks or so. When we were running before, I would run and then as I would get ahead of him a block or so I would then run back till I was a block behind him and then turn around and do it again. Back and forth while he ran at his pace. Then I had to just run in the alley behind our apartment, back and forth, while he did push ups and sit ups, and a couple of times I don't even think he came out, but whatever. The other thing you wanted to know about the zones and districts. So in a district you have missionary companionships. In ours there are 4 companionships (8 elders). We have district meeting every monday. Then every so often like two or three weeks you have Zone meeting. A zone is composed of a couple districts, and there are zone and district leaders. See how it's like scouts ( ie. patrols make up troops). The Zone Conference we had was actually for the whole mission, they do that twice a year, the next one is at Christmas, and they hold a talent show. Hope that makes sense.
I got the Pexton's letter, that was great. I also got the Girl's letters, (2 of them) I was surprised no techna.. techno.. technilojikal... technological things. No I'm just kidding they were great. I had no idea that they looked up to me, and admired what I was doing. It was cool to hear from them and what they thought about what I was doing. I want to try and write them back. Oh and thank you so much for the cook book. That is so cool!! I'll keep my eyes open for the bar and the pictures.
That's way cool spencer, that you're working on your Eagle. I remember those scouting days. I miss em'. I want to know what your project is and I want pictures of the project and ceremony. Man I miss doing scouts, I remember getting my Eagle. Now that I think about it even though I didn't always want to go on a mission the Lord was preparing me. Hurry up and get it done ya hoser, don't slip up like the Garcia boys. You better have it before the next transfer. (That's 6 weeks)
Josh sounds like you're having fun... That's a bummer dude about your AP art, but don't sweat it. You're ok in my book. Congrats on the EMT thing to, come to Chicago you could get a job no sweat. There's ambulances driving around all over town. It's crazy how many we hear and see. You know you could probably just stand on a corner and help people. So yeah plenty of work that way here in Chicago. Check out the tight pictures that I just sent yesterday of Cabrini Greene. It's a ghetto here in Chicago. Then go watch "Hardball" because that's the ghetto that is in that movie. They are tearing part of it down now though. So yeah you should see some pictures soon. Hey and T-Bone you should probably go to The young single adults class, why don't you want to go. It's awesome. They are probably some of the coolest teachers and people I have ever met. I mean we went to "The Roof" for an activity for pete's sake.
OK so anyway I've been holding off on yah here it is- I got transfered!! We had a great last P-day in Chicago last week though. We took the L-train into the City with our bikes and I saw the United Center and the Michael Jordan Statue, Wrigley Field-which was way cool because there's these two cool statues. One of Ernie Banks and the other I forgot of this famous announcer guy. There's pictures coming for ya. We saw these Water columns with faces on them, Cabrine Greene- a pretty hard core ghetto area, We went to this North Face store in the bottom of the Hancock building and I tried on the nicest coat they had. It's this big down coat with fur lining. It's $300, I tried in on in the store and took a picture. Look for it in the pics I sent. Riding bikes around town and under these huge dark overpasses, I felt like the Dark Knight on my black bike. We rode home for most of the way on the Lake Shore Bike path. It has such an awesome view and was really cool. We actually rod our bikes all the way home, it was a long ride, but really cool. Only part of it was on the bike path. Got some great pictures here. It was cool. You deffinately will have to come and see Chicago, your mouth will hit the floor. So they transfered both me and my companion out of the area to bring in sisters, because one of them can speak polish, and there's a ton of Polish people in our area. So we both got moved. I am in Beloit, Wisconsin. I don't know much about the area yet because I just got here. We have a car though, so that will be different. My companion is Elder Glauser from Tuscon, Arizona. The apartment we are in is nowhere near as nice. The kitchen is tiny, and everything is old. There is a weight bench in there though. My companion is going to try and get a bike so that we can bike also and save miles, so that will be fun still. It's going to be different. My comp says that here the members are awesome and it's just us two missionaries in the ward so you have a dinner appointment almost every night. Our first is tonight. He's only been here in the area a week, so we are both kinda new. You see the members in Chicago aren't as wealthy and it's hard to feed the 8 of us that were in the ward, plus there's tons of less actives, somewhere in the hundreds. So having dinner appointments will be something different. I like having a nice family setting.
Anyway so Bill Murry, the guy we baptized, wanted to take us out to lunch before transfers, just in case we ended up getting transferred. He is a court clerk, but said that he wanted to take us some place nice. We went to Fogo De Chao, (I got you, Dad, a couple boxes of matches cuz I know you collect them.) It's a Brazilian steakhouse, like Rodizio, except no pineapple. It's like $32 a plate for lunch, dinner's more. It was awesome. Fillet mignon, garlic beef, chicken leg (so tender and juicy), and fried bananas were my favorite. It was a really cool environment, and it was downtown, so we got to see the city again. They just bring around huge scewers of meat, it was awesome. the bill was like $108 for the three of us, I almost died. We got a cool picture of us downtown together. Bill was like, "Do you guys have to go back to work today, I wish this day would never end." So we found out that we were getting transfered monday morning and that's when we went to lunch and we told Bill. He was hoping that we would stick around since he just got to know us. YOu could tell he was going to miss us, but he said he couldn't be selfish because this was our missions. He also said how most of the friendships that he had been in he had not ended up changing but this one he had. He said we had had a good influence on him. It made me feel good and it touched me. I had changed someone's life and had made a lifelong friend. We told him that we could still write to him and keep in touch. We went and visited him on tuesday and we have started to plan when he will come to Utah to go to conference and go to the temple with us. He's getting the Aaronic Priesthood this Sunday too!! I'll deffinately come back and visit after my mission. I've got a ton of pictures of all this coming to you. We also gave this guy a blessing tuesday, that had been shot 5 times a year or so ago. Had survived it but had basically no intestines and everything had to drain into a bag. He was going into surgery in the next couple days with a fifty fifty chance of living. They are going to splice in cow intestines. I think how it happened was there was a robbery going on and he was walking by and so they shot him up. Chicago is crazy.
Monday and yesterday was a lot of cleaning, because Sisters are moving in and they're getting whitewashed in (All new missionaries in an area.) Lot's of cleaning an packing like a mad man. Then Bro. Mark took our luggage down to the church and took us out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. I had this awesome salmon and shrimp. Then we had Eli's Cheesecake at his house since we didn't know if we'd see him again. Eli's is a Chicago cheesecake favorite. Oh and I think it was Saturday he took us with his son Kendall to Grazia's. It's a really cool italian place, great atmosphere. I had the most fantastic fettuccini alfredo. This tab was like $74. Kendall is awesome. So that's my week and the end of Chicago and the City for me. I'm kinda bummed, but "I'll go where you want me to go dear lord..." This area I think will be cool and I am anxious to get to work. It's the only area in Wisconsin. Goodbye city, goodbye huge buildings, goodby crazy drivers. Write me, and I love you all.
Hey Devin,
Congratulations on your first baptism! To get one so early is really great. I'm glad you are having such a great experience in Chicago. It's really a neat place. If you get a chance, go to see the Museum of Science and Industry. I saw it when I visited Chicago in 1958. What a great place it is. There are huge displays of things like mines, planes and other full size exhibits. Hope you can go. Keep up writing the funny and informative e-mails. They are a hoot!
Love ya'
Granny
Yeah the baptism was great, and the cool thing about this one is it is one that we found, not one that was already being taught when I got here. So this is a complete one, and he's got a famous name. It was cool my comp did the baptism. He was really stiff going down into the water, for a second I thought he was going to start flailing. I got to do the Confirmation and holy ghost, and his first blessing in Sacrament meeting. I was so nervous, but a couple of people said it was a beautiful blessing and Bill said "thanks for all the blessings you poured out on me." At the baptism there was maybe 10 people including us and Bill, so my comp had it easy, he only has to say a short thing, mine is a lot longer. So I got up to do the Confirmation and I was nervous. I had a couple of ideas of things that I wanted to say, but that was it. Then things started to come to me, it was really cool. OH and Bill asked me to give a talk at his baptism also... anything else I can do!! It went well though, I don't mind talking. It was a cool experience to see him baptized. The Lord truly does bless us. It is the Spirit that converts people not me, not missionaries, not anyone. It's the Spirit that works through us. We are just the instruments, the sweat and the marrow. If you put for the work and the effort and strive to be obedient then the Spirit can work through you and the Lord can bless you. This is not my baptism, remember that, this is the Lord's, this is the result of the Spirit working through a humble soul that has been prepared by the Lord, and I am so grateful to have been a part of it. I look forward to continuing to harvest this white field.
Oh so you wanted to know about my comp running with me. He has rode his bike along once before, but since he got hit by the car his leg acts up a lot and he has tried to run a couple times but has stopped completely now for 2 weeks or so. When we were running before, I would run and then as I would get ahead of him a block or so I would then run back till I was a block behind him and then turn around and do it again. Back and forth while he ran at his pace. Then I had to just run in the alley behind our apartment, back and forth, while he did push ups and sit ups, and a couple of times I don't even think he came out, but whatever. The other thing you wanted to know about the zones and districts. So in a district you have missionary companionships. In ours there are 4 companionships (8 elders). We have district meeting every monday. Then every so often like two or three weeks you have Zone meeting. A zone is composed of a couple districts, and there are zone and district leaders. See how it's like scouts ( ie. patrols make up troops). The Zone Conference we had was actually for the whole mission, they do that twice a year, the next one is at Christmas, and they hold a talent show. Hope that makes sense.
I got the Pexton's letter, that was great. I also got the Girl's letters, (2 of them) I was surprised no techna.. techno.. technilojikal... technological things. No I'm just kidding they were great. I had no idea that they looked up to me, and admired what I was doing. It was cool to hear from them and what they thought about what I was doing. I want to try and write them back. Oh and thank you so much for the cook book. That is so cool!! I'll keep my eyes open for the bar and the pictures.
That's way cool spencer, that you're working on your Eagle. I remember those scouting days. I miss em'. I want to know what your project is and I want pictures of the project and ceremony. Man I miss doing scouts, I remember getting my Eagle. Now that I think about it even though I didn't always want to go on a mission the Lord was preparing me. Hurry up and get it done ya hoser, don't slip up like the Garcia boys. You better have it before the next transfer. (That's 6 weeks)
Josh sounds like you're having fun... That's a bummer dude about your AP art, but don't sweat it. You're ok in my book. Congrats on the EMT thing to, come to Chicago you could get a job no sweat. There's ambulances driving around all over town. It's crazy how many we hear and see. You know you could probably just stand on a corner and help people. So yeah plenty of work that way here in Chicago. Check out the tight pictures that I just sent yesterday of Cabrini Greene. It's a ghetto here in Chicago. Then go watch "Hardball" because that's the ghetto that is in that movie. They are tearing part of it down now though. So yeah you should see some pictures soon. Hey and T-Bone you should probably go to The young single adults class, why don't you want to go. It's awesome. They are probably some of the coolest teachers and people I have ever met. I mean we went to "The Roof" for an activity for pete's sake.
OK so anyway I've been holding off on yah here it is- I got transfered!! We had a great last P-day in Chicago last week though. We took the L-train into the City with our bikes and I saw the United Center and the Michael Jordan Statue, Wrigley Field-which was way cool because there's these two cool statues. One of Ernie Banks and the other I forgot of this famous announcer guy. There's pictures coming for ya. We saw these Water columns with faces on them, Cabrine Greene- a pretty hard core ghetto area, We went to this North Face store in the bottom of the Hancock building and I tried on the nicest coat they had. It's this big down coat with fur lining. It's $300, I tried in on in the store and took a picture. Look for it in the pics I sent. Riding bikes around town and under these huge dark overpasses, I felt like the Dark Knight on my black bike. We rode home for most of the way on the Lake Shore Bike path. It has such an awesome view and was really cool. We actually rod our bikes all the way home, it was a long ride, but really cool. Only part of it was on the bike path. Got some great pictures here. It was cool. You deffinately will have to come and see Chicago, your mouth will hit the floor. So they transfered both me and my companion out of the area to bring in sisters, because one of them can speak polish, and there's a ton of Polish people in our area. So we both got moved. I am in Beloit, Wisconsin. I don't know much about the area yet because I just got here. We have a car though, so that will be different. My companion is Elder Glauser from Tuscon, Arizona. The apartment we are in is nowhere near as nice. The kitchen is tiny, and everything is old. There is a weight bench in there though. My companion is going to try and get a bike so that we can bike also and save miles, so that will be fun still. It's going to be different. My comp says that here the members are awesome and it's just us two missionaries in the ward so you have a dinner appointment almost every night. Our first is tonight. He's only been here in the area a week, so we are both kinda new. You see the members in Chicago aren't as wealthy and it's hard to feed the 8 of us that were in the ward, plus there's tons of less actives, somewhere in the hundreds. So having dinner appointments will be something different. I like having a nice family setting.
Anyway so Bill Murry, the guy we baptized, wanted to take us out to lunch before transfers, just in case we ended up getting transferred. He is a court clerk, but said that he wanted to take us some place nice. We went to Fogo De Chao, (I got you, Dad, a couple boxes of matches cuz I know you collect them.) It's a Brazilian steakhouse, like Rodizio, except no pineapple. It's like $32 a plate for lunch, dinner's more. It was awesome. Fillet mignon, garlic beef, chicken leg (so tender and juicy), and fried bananas were my favorite. It was a really cool environment, and it was downtown, so we got to see the city again. They just bring around huge scewers of meat, it was awesome. the bill was like $108 for the three of us, I almost died. We got a cool picture of us downtown together. Bill was like, "Do you guys have to go back to work today, I wish this day would never end." So we found out that we were getting transfered monday morning and that's when we went to lunch and we told Bill. He was hoping that we would stick around since he just got to know us. YOu could tell he was going to miss us, but he said he couldn't be selfish because this was our missions. He also said how most of the friendships that he had been in he had not ended up changing but this one he had. He said we had had a good influence on him. It made me feel good and it touched me. I had changed someone's life and had made a lifelong friend. We told him that we could still write to him and keep in touch. We went and visited him on tuesday and we have started to plan when he will come to Utah to go to conference and go to the temple with us. He's getting the Aaronic Priesthood this Sunday too!! I'll deffinately come back and visit after my mission. I've got a ton of pictures of all this coming to you. We also gave this guy a blessing tuesday, that had been shot 5 times a year or so ago. Had survived it but had basically no intestines and everything had to drain into a bag. He was going into surgery in the next couple days with a fifty fifty chance of living. They are going to splice in cow intestines. I think how it happened was there was a robbery going on and he was walking by and so they shot him up. Chicago is crazy.
Monday and yesterday was a lot of cleaning, because Sisters are moving in and they're getting whitewashed in (All new missionaries in an area.) Lot's of cleaning an packing like a mad man. Then Bro. Mark took our luggage down to the church and took us out to dinner at Ruby Tuesdays. I had this awesome salmon and shrimp. Then we had Eli's Cheesecake at his house since we didn't know if we'd see him again. Eli's is a Chicago cheesecake favorite. Oh and I think it was Saturday he took us with his son Kendall to Grazia's. It's a really cool italian place, great atmosphere. I had the most fantastic fettuccini alfredo. This tab was like $74. Kendall is awesome. So that's my week and the end of Chicago and the City for me. I'm kinda bummed, but "I'll go where you want me to go dear lord..." This area I think will be cool and I am anxious to get to work. It's the only area in Wisconsin. Goodbye city, goodbye huge buildings, goodby crazy drivers. Write me, and I love you all.
Hey Devin,
Congratulations on your first baptism! To get one so early is really great. I'm glad you are having such a great experience in Chicago. It's really a neat place. If you get a chance, go to see the Museum of Science and Industry. I saw it when I visited Chicago in 1958. What a great place it is. There are huge displays of things like mines, planes and other full size exhibits. Hope you can go. Keep up writing the funny and informative e-mails. They are a hoot!
Love ya'
Granny
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
July 16, 2008
Hey tell everyone hi. I'm looking forward to all of this stuff. So yeah this is our last week of the transfer. Transfers are next wednesday. I hope I stay, I've really grown to love this area, and have got accustomed to my companion. I know how to get around the area too. We had exchanges, the district leader came and stayed for 24hrs in my area and my comp went to his. So I had to lead him around our area, I did great!!! The bike is killer, and best of all my but doesn't get sore. Let Zach know I'm working on sending him a letter, I've just been so busy. Tell him his letter was hilarious, and that all the batman pictures aren't helping me!! Seeing as how it's advertised everywhere here. Because it was filmed here in Chicago, if you look at the billboards it's the Chicago Skyline with all the highrises, I can name like the hancock, the aeon, and I think you can see sears in it. Bro. Mark says in the previews you can see the L-train that runs in the loop downtown. It will be a cool movie to see when I get home cuz I'll know the city. Tell zach that I love him a ton, and his letter made me really happy, it brought back a lot of memories, and I'm saving all letters that I get. Camp and all the Dutch ovening that dad is doing sounds cool! Hey dad I love you tons, I cant's wait till we can go to the mountains again.
Spence, What up little bro. Sounds like soccer is a blast, I'm so jealous. Occasionally I get a chance to kick a ball or juggle a bit with one of the little hispanic kids that I see on the street. Or there's tons in the park. I got to play a bit with this Black guy, that was tight. My spanish is getting a lot better, I can do an approach and ask them for there address and phone number and if spanish missionaries can come and visit them. It's almost too good, because they start speaking back, and I don't yet have the gift of tongues. The people here in Chicago really know how to crank their beats. But yeah so spence, I'm so happy that you're doing all of these great things, that must have been crazy playing girls, make sure you protect the fruit of your loins (scripture language for protect the boys). I love you tons bud and I enjoyed your testimony, I got a little teary eyed. I always think about you and how you look up to me, because I never thought that you liked me. But yeah I am having the time of my life. This is the happiest time in my life. It's so cool to be a missionary. I love it! I go to bed exhausted, and can't wait for the next day.
I am pleased to inform you that Bill Thomas Murry will be baptized on Friday July 18, at 7:00 Pm. In the Chicago 1st ward, at the the Foster chapel. That's right my second day here my comp and I set a goal to work as hard as possible sweat and sacrifice and pray, and set a goal to get one baptism this transfer. It was entirely the lord that has blessed us we just worked hard. This baptism will end a 1 year and 2 month or more period of time when there has not been a baptism here in this area! He was a godfather in the catholic church and he was going to become another childs godfather. He's gone to catholic schools his whole life, and he is being baptised. Anything is possible when you trust in the Lord. Normally they have members in the ward do the baptism and confirmation and the missionaries just watch, this way the member is more likely to stay active because he feels attached to a member in the ward. Howevery bill didn't really have anyone like that so he is having us do it, and the Ward Mission leader has approved it. I got the hard part. I have to confirm him a member, the gift of the holy ghost, and give him his first blessing!!!! HE has also asked me to give a talk at his baptism. My comp is doing the Baptism. We commited him to baptism last thursday, just after I wrote you, so it's been hard holding it in. I think I told you how he almost got up in sacrament meeting to bear his testimony. He knows it's true!!! He reads the BOM diligently. When we commited him I just started telling him about the fact that we would hold a baptismal service, and that we had taught him almost everything, and before I could even get around to asking him he said, "I'll be there" I sat there for a while struck and then I jumped up and gave him a hug. Bro. Mark was there with us at the appt. he likes to help us and do missionary work cuz he didn't get to serve a mission. I cried and so did Bro. Mark it was and awesome experience in Bill's little basement apartment, that I have to duck in. It was so cool I hugged bill a ton. Bro. Mark was pretty emotional. He took us out to dinner to celebrate after. It was a great lesson. When we taught him the commandments on sat. he got all of his tea, which filled two grocery bags, it looked like he had been to costco for tea. He put it all in these bags and tied the knot and handed it to us it was so cool, we dumped it out on our back porch put our nametags on the pile and took a picture. It was cool. So yeah he's being baptized he's had his interview and everything, it's on. I love the lord so much for blessing us, I know that he gave bill his answer and it was the Holy Ghost that converted HIm not us. WE also went to dinner last night with Bro mark at this mediterranean restaurant for shish kabobs, he spent 96 dollars on us it was nice, reminded me of the cruise. He loves us so much he doesn't want us to transfer. lvoe ya gotta go.
Elder Adams,
I have a short story and a long story for ya. Ready?
Short: I met Mary Mark (aka Sister Mark, aka Wife of Brother Mark).
Long: I decided to go to "enrichment" for the first time in a decade I swear. They were doing this garden tour thingee where we go from house to house looking at all of their lovely plants. Sister Miller, who is in my ward, brought her sister. So, to be friendly (you know I'm so friendly), I walk up to Sister Miller's Sis and say "From where are you visiting?" (notice the grammatically correct tone). She replied, "Chicago." To which I said, "I love Chicago." And she "It's a nice place to visit." Then said "No, I like it there" or something like that. Then I said, my nephew was just sent there a few weeks ago. And she says, "Is he from Lehi?" And I said "yip" and she "Elder Adams?" and I said "yip". Then we talked about how cute you are.
She told me some stories about your ward. Sounds so colorful and interesting. Quite unlike anything around here. Kind of made me want to get the heck out! She said you are doing a great job and to tell your parents that they should be proud.
So way to go dude.
In other news, Scott is walking a few times a day with only one crutch. His right foot is as good as new. His left one is still giving him a fit of sorts. Things are good. We pray for you often. Can you feel it? The one thing I've learned from Scott's little mishap is that you can feel folks praying for you. And you can also feel it when they quit. So if you feel that you're not being prayed for (right, like a day will go by that someone in your loving family will NOT pray for you).... so if you feel you're not being prayed for, let me know. I'll drop everything, go to the knees and pray like mad.
lotsa love
amber
Spence, What up little bro. Sounds like soccer is a blast, I'm so jealous. Occasionally I get a chance to kick a ball or juggle a bit with one of the little hispanic kids that I see on the street. Or there's tons in the park. I got to play a bit with this Black guy, that was tight. My spanish is getting a lot better, I can do an approach and ask them for there address and phone number and if spanish missionaries can come and visit them. It's almost too good, because they start speaking back, and I don't yet have the gift of tongues. The people here in Chicago really know how to crank their beats. But yeah so spence, I'm so happy that you're doing all of these great things, that must have been crazy playing girls, make sure you protect the fruit of your loins (scripture language for protect the boys). I love you tons bud and I enjoyed your testimony, I got a little teary eyed. I always think about you and how you look up to me, because I never thought that you liked me. But yeah I am having the time of my life. This is the happiest time in my life. It's so cool to be a missionary. I love it! I go to bed exhausted, and can't wait for the next day.
I am pleased to inform you that Bill Thomas Murry will be baptized on Friday July 18, at 7:00 Pm. In the Chicago 1st ward, at the the Foster chapel. That's right my second day here my comp and I set a goal to work as hard as possible sweat and sacrifice and pray, and set a goal to get one baptism this transfer. It was entirely the lord that has blessed us we just worked hard. This baptism will end a 1 year and 2 month or more period of time when there has not been a baptism here in this area! He was a godfather in the catholic church and he was going to become another childs godfather. He's gone to catholic schools his whole life, and he is being baptised. Anything is possible when you trust in the Lord. Normally they have members in the ward do the baptism and confirmation and the missionaries just watch, this way the member is more likely to stay active because he feels attached to a member in the ward. Howevery bill didn't really have anyone like that so he is having us do it, and the Ward Mission leader has approved it. I got the hard part. I have to confirm him a member, the gift of the holy ghost, and give him his first blessing!!!! HE has also asked me to give a talk at his baptism. My comp is doing the Baptism. We commited him to baptism last thursday, just after I wrote you, so it's been hard holding it in. I think I told you how he almost got up in sacrament meeting to bear his testimony. He knows it's true!!! He reads the BOM diligently. When we commited him I just started telling him about the fact that we would hold a baptismal service, and that we had taught him almost everything, and before I could even get around to asking him he said, "I'll be there" I sat there for a while struck and then I jumped up and gave him a hug. Bro. Mark was there with us at the appt. he likes to help us and do missionary work cuz he didn't get to serve a mission. I cried and so did Bro. Mark it was and awesome experience in Bill's little basement apartment, that I have to duck in. It was so cool I hugged bill a ton. Bro. Mark was pretty emotional. He took us out to dinner to celebrate after. It was a great lesson. When we taught him the commandments on sat. he got all of his tea, which filled two grocery bags, it looked like he had been to costco for tea. He put it all in these bags and tied the knot and handed it to us it was so cool, we dumped it out on our back porch put our nametags on the pile and took a picture. It was cool. So yeah he's being baptized he's had his interview and everything, it's on. I love the lord so much for blessing us, I know that he gave bill his answer and it was the Holy Ghost that converted HIm not us. WE also went to dinner last night with Bro mark at this mediterranean restaurant for shish kabobs, he spent 96 dollars on us it was nice, reminded me of the cruise. He loves us so much he doesn't want us to transfer. lvoe ya gotta go.
Elder Adams,
I have a short story and a long story for ya. Ready?
Short: I met Mary Mark (aka Sister Mark, aka Wife of Brother Mark).
Long: I decided to go to "enrichment" for the first time in a decade I swear. They were doing this garden tour thingee where we go from house to house looking at all of their lovely plants. Sister Miller, who is in my ward, brought her sister. So, to be friendly (you know I'm so friendly), I walk up to Sister Miller's Sis and say "From where are you visiting?" (notice the grammatically correct tone). She replied, "Chicago." To which I said, "I love Chicago." And she "It's a nice place to visit." Then said "No, I like it there" or something like that. Then I said, my nephew was just sent there a few weeks ago. And she says, "Is he from Lehi?" And I said "yip" and she "Elder Adams?" and I said "yip". Then we talked about how cute you are.
She told me some stories about your ward. Sounds so colorful and interesting. Quite unlike anything around here. Kind of made me want to get the heck out! She said you are doing a great job and to tell your parents that they should be proud.
So way to go dude.
In other news, Scott is walking a few times a day with only one crutch. His right foot is as good as new. His left one is still giving him a fit of sorts. Things are good. We pray for you often. Can you feel it? The one thing I've learned from Scott's little mishap is that you can feel folks praying for you. And you can also feel it when they quit. So if you feel that you're not being prayed for (right, like a day will go by that someone in your loving family will NOT pray for you).... so if you feel you're not being prayed for, let me know. I'll drop everything, go to the knees and pray like mad.
lotsa love
amber
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
July 9, 2008
I haven't really decided. There's a lot of mixing here of the two teams, It's primarily Cubs though. It's kinda like one of the religions here. If you're not wearing the right jersey, People will talk some smack. OH I don't know why I put it on my debit, I'm not out of money, I think my comp said that he didn't know which card we had to use, if it was ok to put on the church one. I am making it a goal of mine to not use my personal one though, my account is probably getting drained, huh? Yeah the humidity has definately kicked up!. Monday night when we were out tracting, as we were going door to door I was dripping, It was like I had just ended running. That was the first night I HAD to take a shower before going to bed. YEah I was sweaty.
So on the fourth, our investigator Bill Murry came to the ward bbq. We went to that. It was cool there was lots of food, badmitton. I got to pass a soccer ball. I didn't do it but they had a watermelon eating contest, Chicago ball (Like softball), and three legged races. We stayed there for a while, then at night everyone in the neighborhood shoots off fireworks. They are all the illegal kind. It was crazy fireworks everywhere. ONe that went off in the air was really loud and set off a car's alarm. We sat on our porch and watched world war 3, while I ate some peaches out of a can. Oh and the city of Chicago does their fireworks on the third. So taste of Chicago did theirs that night. We couldn't see those from our place thought. But when we got home at night our neighbors said that there was going to be fireworks at 9:30 so we hurried and changed into our pj's, I told my comp he had to put some rave gear on and we went out and sat on some chairs and watched the fireworks done by this golf course like 4-6 blocks away. They were close and it was awesome. We ate green apples while we watched. People were also shooting off fireworks on saturday too. So yeah the 4th wasn't too bad, I was worried I wouldn't see a firework, but I saw plenty. All of them in the air too, I think I only saw one on the ground, when this little kid rode up on his bike near some cars, stopped, lit a couple firecrackers and rode off. Juvenile deliquents.
Oh so bill fasted with us on fast sunday, and he even wanted to pay fast offerings. Then after fast and testimony meeting he told me that he had thought about getting up!!!! Then he told Elder Purdie and I after church "So suppose... I were to decide... to get baptised......What sort of preparations would I have have to go through?" He tried to act like he was thinking about it, but that just confirmed a feeling that I had in our gospel principles class that he knew this church was true and that his testimony was building, I had that feeling. We meet with him tomorrow I think he is going to be baptized soon. I think I told you about taste of Chicago, we also saw Buckingham fountain. Today we went to the temple. Brother Mark took us. It was awesome. I had an awesome experience and received a lot of new spiritual fuel. The Savior is with me. While reading in the lobby my comp and Bro. Mark both took the bom's so the only thing left was some bibles. So I was like ok. I just oppened to a page and started to read. I think it was John 15. As I started reading it was exactly what I needed. You should read it. It was the savior talking and it was like, remember that those that hate you hated me first, basically I know what you are going through they rejected me too. I couldn't believe it it was a miracle what I was reading, I had to read part of it over again. Afterwords Brother mark took us to Sweet Tomatoes. It was good "variety." He loves to take us out he's so nice, he's just this retired guy that takes us to lunch and comes to appointments with us every once in a while. Then we drove around and looked at these huge buildings. We also went and saw the Bahai Temple. It's this crazy indian looking building, I got a pamphlet and some sweet pictures. Today was a great day for Spiritual and physical food.
So what happened to my pull up bar? Oh and you did say that you got the pictures from me. Thank you so much for the package, I finally got around to reading the green eggs and ham book, It was awesome. Also, the cookies are good. They remind me of pink cookies. Besides using some of the rave gear, I finally through a box of snaps yesterday. Thanks. So next week is our last P-day and then it's the end of the transfer. Can you believe it I've been in Chicago almost 6 weeks. I hope that I don't get transfered I really am getting used to the area and am learning it. I also don't want to pack again. So how come T-bone didn't write, or reef, or anyone else, hello, is anyone out there...there....there.. there (echo). I'm looking forward to the recipes book also that will be cool,most of all though my pull up bar. OH we had to bury one of sis. Kampnor's cat's that died. That was a little ridiculous. But yeah the big thing is we might be preparing for a baptism here soon. How's T-bone and the motorcycle going. I started doing that bom hightlighting thing. I think I'm in second nephi now. I also finished D and C. So yeah I told you it was getting hot, and I am sitting here typing at the library and I'm dripping. Tell spence I still carry his little wood chip around with me in my left pants pocket. I talked to this guy at the L-train and bus station that ended up crying and pooring his soul out to me. He told me how his mom had died, and how he was the only one in his family that took care of her. I talked to him for probably over an hour, and he this mexican guy was just crying right there with tons of people crossing. He said I don't know why I'm telling you this because I don't like to talk about it cuz it hurts but I know that you are with god. That kinda touched me. I ended up giving him a BOM with my name in it and wrote "Keep on trying Walter" or something like that. When I went back to my comp he was like "did you baptize him, you had enough time." So yeah the mish is going good. I love you tons mom, and family. We got let into our first home while tracting, and we got our first 3 appointments this week while tracting. Took us forever, most people just give you the door, or say something rude. Love ya tons!!!!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
July 2, 2008
So my mission is pretty much amazing, It's hard to believe that 6 wks ago yesterday I was in the stake pres. office being ordained a Missionary. I'M A MISSIONARY MOM! It still seems a little surreal sometimes. A motorcycle JOSH! What the crap, you're ridiculous, I want to see some pictures. Mine is the black bike, I'm the black Knight because I have a black helmet also. It's pretty tight, I'm thinkin' I could take the tour de france in 2010. Thank you spencer and mom and everyone for the package it's cool. Especially thank you spencer for that letter. I read it yesterday probably about 3-5 times. It really touched me, I had no idea that you looked up to me, I always thought that you hated me. I guess that's how it works sometimes. I'm thinking I'm going to keep that wood chip in my pocket or at least my backpack for the rest of my mission. Thank you so much spence and keep working hard at everything you do. I love you tons bud.
I forgot to tell you guys that my companion is a huge lacrosse nut. He might play for Utah when he gets back. Have josh go onto google and look up Christopher Purdie Viewmonte Lacrosse. or Viewmont I don't know how to spell it.
So here's this nuts 1 day that we had. So we wake up and my companion is sick with like the same thing I had, we end up going out though cuz he feels a little better. Then towards the middle of the day it gets really dark the wind is blowing like crazy, I'm almost knocked off my bike stuff is flying through the air. My comp says he'd never seen anything like it before. So we take shelter behind a building but their is a ton of debris here so we take to this undergroung parking of a mall. The wind calms a bit and we decide to make a dash for it to our appointment. My companion is feeling weak, so we have to slow it down a bit, he has no strength. I ride in front to break the wind. Then it starts to rain! We get soaked and take shelter under this gas station pavilion where we were meeting this investigator. Just as we get under the skies really let loose and dump. This investigator we had been calling and changing where we were meeting... and then changing again, cuz he kept pick places outside our area. He said he didn't have a place so he wanted to meet us at a hotel. We're like let's just meat at a restaurant down the street, but he's like no I want a place that we can relax at. So he changes the place and we bike to this other place. He's not there thought so we call him and apparently he doesn't know how to give directions. It was ok it was only two blocks down. So we head down on our bikes on the side walk, and I'm behind my companion and this car pulls out and Hits my comp. He goes over his handle bars and hits the hood and is thrown to the ground!!!! YEah. Then he gets up and is like what the heck. I help my comp and try to talk to the lady (I stopped in time. Then as I'm talking to my companion this lady she's like 85 yrs old and should not be driving and is smoking a cigarette as big as her, She drives off. So I'm Yelling and screaming at her to come back. Finally she does making an illegal turn in the middle of traffic. MY companions front bike wheel is all bent up, and we try to ask her for her information. She says, "Oh please don't make a story of this what, happened?" I was like what happened, YOu hit my companion!!!! LOOK at his bike. She's like I see nothing. I should probably mention she's also polish, but what's new there. So we tell her we just want her information so we can handle this the right way, and she starts crying, "Please I'm an old woman I don't have insurance, I have no money, and I am on social security." We felt really bad and tried to calm her down. We did but that was that and she left. It'll cost about 60 or 70 for a new tire for his bike. So then we head to the motel that we are supposed to meet this guy at, Michael. We see his head poke out of a door on the bottom floor of the building, and is flapping his arm. MY comp's like If he pulls something I will kill, cuz this day is horrible. We get to the door and he opens it but we can't see him, we both mentioned that we had bad feelings, that something was going to go down. MY comp has me go first, it's really dark in there and there's not a lot of light. We get in and he shuts the door so we can see him, and there Michael is standing there NAKED!!!!With nothing but a T-shirt on. I tried to avoid him, my comp stood by the door. He's like I feel so bad about this you got all wet here sit down relax. MY companion then says, "Michael, do you have any pants on?" MIchael says,"Well no, I was gonna take a shower but then I decided not to." Then he says "OH I feel so sorry, and goes to give my companion a hug!" My comp pushes him away and is like OK we are leaving now!!. But there is only a narrow path between the bed and the couch to the door and this homo is blocking my way. I thought oh no he didn't get what he wanted now he's going to come for me!! I slipped past and booked it out of there. As we are running out, he says "oh come on I thought that you were going to preach Jesus to me?" So yeah pretty much insane. No michael we will not preach Jesus to you. MY comp and I were tramatized, so we went to a nearby dennys to comfort our sorrows. (I still owe him for that cuz I didn't have my wallet.) Then on our way out we decide we'll just have to walk his bike home, and we're pretty far away from our appartment, but the wheel won't turn at all. We ask these to polish guys in a repair truch if the have tools to bend it so it will at least turn. NO they hold onto each other and start jumping on the wheel like the Mario bros. all the while making fun of each other in polish, they were like the 2 stooges. My comp and I just watched. It worked though, in fact it was good enough that my comp had a wobbly ride home going slowly. Yeah that's all one day, feel free to print it off and give it to Zach, forward it to everyone. Everyone enjoy in my pain, terror, shock, and all around violation. Love ya tons
We had Zone conference yesterday with the whole mission. It was pretty cool. OH and Josh I saw Potbelly's sandwiches, so tell mitch. Bill Murry our investigator, came to church on sunday for the second time!! Which is awesome, and we are teaching him for the 3rd time tomorrow and are planning to hopefully extend a baptismal commitment. Benny and Katie the gangster kid dropped us though, they keep hanging up the phone. WE are going into the city today for "A taste of Chicago" It's a once a year event that happens the week of the 4th. YOu pay and you go around to different restaurants that have things set up on the street and you get samples. So this will be tight. I haven't got the pull up bar yet, but tell josh thanks for the rave gear! Also what is the story behind Jacks name being Gus, and Custard.
The Church is true, I want you all to know that. The book of mormon is the word of god, Translated by the power of god through the Prophet Joseph Smith, who did in fact see God the Father and his son Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove. I love this gospel, and I love my savior, He gives me strength everyday, and I am so thankful for the atonement and the power that comes from it. Your testimony and strength are really tested out here when people slam the door in your face, or curse you out, but this is the work of the lord, and no unhollowed hand can stop it. I bear you this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.
Tell Zach he's a stud, He's gonna be an elder. Josh you be careful on that motorcycle. Oh some things I learned about Chicago. The Dark Knight was filmed here. Chris Farley died on the 60th floor of the hancock building. There is an area here that is the most diverse nationwide. Chicago has the highest population of Polish people outside of Warsaw poland. I love my mission though and I am having the time of my life. The days go by so fast even though sometimes it's stressful. I love you all so much. This is probably the happiest time of my life, love ya'll.
I'm downtown right now at the apples store, we already did email at the library, but I stopped in here and checked out this sweet computer. Taste of Chicago was awesome. I had some Indian, and African food. I had a plantain at the african place, and this chicken mango thing with this green sauce at this Indian and latin place. It's just all these booths out in this area, once a year. Each thing uses different amount of tickets and you buy tickets at the booths all around. This guy from our ward gave us each ten dollars. Yeah there's ton's of booths just all on these two blocked off streets. Anyway love ya tons!!
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