November 19, 2013

Things are going pretty good here.  I am feeling better but a couple of days later my companion got sick.  Needless to say last week was very long.

Yesterday we had training with a member of the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy.  The training was on how to teach more simply and gave us list of 4 things that our investigators to know.  They are;
1. That God and Jesus both appeared to Joseph Smith
2. The Book of Mormon is the word of God
3. Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world and
4. The Priesthood has been restored

Hopefully we will be able to use what was talk and be able to teach more simply.

We were able to meet with Larry last week but Justin was busy.  Larry told us that Justin had a dream that he was a member of the Church.  Justin also hasn't been reading like we would like him to and he hasn't been able to come to church yet, so we will have to see what we can do to help him.

My workouts are getting harder because it's getting cold.  The other day we did go for a bike ride up a canyon that is by our apartment.  It was all up hill.  We did find a trail to ride, there were a lot of switchbacks and was looking out over the valley.  I realized how out of shape I am.  I'll have to work on that.

The members are feeding us pretty good.  I am trying to cut back on what I eat at dinner and it's working pretty well.  As of right now we don't have an appointment for Thanksgiving but I think that will change before long.

I do have another package I will be sending home soon.  I'll be sending home a couple of jackets and some long sleeve shirts that I don't need right now.  I will also be sending home another binder full of letters.

That is pretty much my week.

I love you.

Love,
Scott

Nov. 11, 2013

The family history library was open today so we went there to email today.

This week went by fast.  Wednesday was transfers and Elder Smith got transferred.  I got my knew companion Wednesday night.  Him and I get along really well.  Thursday Elder Layden unpacked.  Friday we went and saw a couple of investigators and some less active members so they could meet Elder Layden.  Saturday we cleaned a 2 mile stretch of the highway.  When we got home my stomach started hurting.  I laid down to rest.  I felt awful.  Our ward mission leader told me to just stay home Sunday and rest, so that is what we did.  We stay in Sunday and didn't do anything.  I am feeling a lot better.

That's about my week.

Love,
Scott


Here is the fish that Elder Smith caught.  The bottom picture is what it has looked like here the passed couple of days.

Nov. 4, 2013

This week for me was alright.

We meet with one of our investigators twice the week.   Things went pretty good. Although he uses marijuana. He says it's for medical purposes. We are going to have to find out if he has a prescription for it not and weather or not his is using it for just medical purposes or not, which could be hard to prove.
Friday we we're suppose to go on exchanges with the Zone Leaders, but one of them had his 4 bottom front teeth knocked out playing soccer last Monday.  Needless to say he is on a liquid diet for the next  month of so.  The dentist also told him to not eat any apples for a year or he may loose his teeth.  He also cannot workout for the rest of his mission.
Tuesday we had a mini exchange with the Zone Leaders. Elder Davis, the one who got his teeth knocked out, went with me to a dinner appointment. The family that we had the dinner appointment with made Elder Davis a smoothie for dinner.

Elder Smith decided to catch a couple of fish that we swimming around the canal. Elder Smith caught 4 fish and out them in a mason jar. They all died the next morning. He went and got more but they died that night. I guess he's just not suppose to have fish.

We did receive the transfer call Saturday night. I will be staying in Wenatchee. Elder Smith is being transferred to Kennewick. Elder Smith was kind of freaked out about it. He said he felt like needed to do something but didn't know what. I just told him to go to bed.

That's about my week. I love you and appreciate all you do for me.

Love ,
Scott

Oct. 28, 2013

Last week was kind of a crazy one.  

Elder Smith and I went there for lunch one day at a place called Dizzy D's. They have this burger called the 18 wheeler.  It has 9 1/4 lb patties, 3 onion rings, 3 eggs and 3 tomato slices.  If you can eat the burger in 18 minutes, the burger is free and you get your picture on the wall.  Elder Smith decided to take the challenge to eat the 18 wheeler.  Elder Smith was able to eat the 18 wheeler burger in 11 minutes!! That was crazy.  Needless to say he had a hard time walking the rest of the day.  

We did service for a lady that wanted her windows trimmed.  On our way to her place (we were in our service clothes) there was a lady that had told us that her prayers were answered and that Mormon missionaries don't have to wear suit and ties any more.  She also asked us if we could do some service work for her.  We told her that we were unable to help her at that time because we were on our way to help someone but that we could come by Friday and help. 

We got a phone call from someone that we tracted into.  He asked if we could help him build a patio in his backyard Saturday.  We told him that we couldn't because we had a meeting to attend.  We did mention that we would see if we could find someone who could help him.  We ended up calling the Elders Quorum President and told him the situation.  He said that he would find some people to help him.  So that was good.

We also went tracting with the spanish speaking Elders this week.  While I was out tracting, we came across someone who has been excommunicated from the church.  This person is convinced that the Mormons are out to take over the world and when you get old and can't think for yourself the church will come and buy all that you own.  That was an interesting person.  Another house that we came to we were able to see inside the house through the screen door and saw that this house had a cow head mounted on the wall.  That kind of creeped us out a little.  We had an interesting time tracting that day.

A couple of our investigators that we are teaching remind me of Kimie, whom I taught while I was in Pasco.  They just agree with everything that we say or ask them.  That's a little frustrating.

That's about it for the week.

I love you.

Love, Scott

P.S.  Elder Smith sleep walks.  One night he fell asleep while writing in his journal.  I finally turned the lights out when a few minutes later he got up and went to the window and opened the curtains.  When I asked him what he was doing, he said that he was waiting for someone.  They were coming to pick him up so they can go hang out.

Also the pedal striped out on my bike again.  I think I'm done with the bike.  I don't think it's worth fixing again.

Elder Smith after eating the 18 wheeler

Oct. 21, 2013

Hey,
Things are going good.  Things are getting better.  Although I did have to take my bike to the shop again.  I stripped out the pedal again.  They told me that I will need a new crank shaft for that.  That will be about $65.  It should be done by Wednesday or Thursday.

I still think that I will be transferred this next transfer.  I'll just have to wait and see what happens.  This Friday we will be heading down to Kennewick.  Elder Ballard will be speaking to us.  I'm excited to see and hear Elder Ballard.

I sent you a letter today.  Most of what happened I put in there so I won't repeat too much.  I'll also be sending some things home.  Mostly shirts that I don't need.  I'm also going to send home my iPod so you can put some more music on it.

Sorry there is not much in this email.  Like I said I mailed a letter home today that has most of what happened this week in it.

I love you.

Scott

P.S.  I did go to Saddle Rock today.  Here are some pictures that I took while I was there and one from when we went to the temple.

Oct. 14, 2013

This week was alright.  We had a lot of meetings and did a lot of traveling.  We had a zone meeting Tuesday.  Wednesday we made a trip to the temple.  The temple was awesome.  Thursday we painted a  house for Habitat for Humanity.  I also got my bike back from the bike shop.  It's good to have it back.  Friday we had our weekly planning meeting.  It's been kind of a weird week.  I'm glad it's over.  Next week won't be as bad.

We received a call from the Mission President letting us know that on Oct. 26 Elder Ballard will be here along with an Area Authority and a member of the 70.  We will be heading to to Kennewick the night before so we do not have to get up so early.

The training is coming along.  It can be challenging at times.  I think my companion is hard on himself somethings.

I do have a strong feeling that I will get transferred out of Wenatchee in a couple of weeks.  We will see what happens.

Well, that's my week in a nut shell.

I love you.

Love,
Scott

Oct. 7, 2013

When I got the call from Pres. Ware asking if I would train a greenie, I was pretty nervous.  I figure I must be doing something right in order to get this tall order.  I just have to take it one day at a time.

This week week had a trainer/trainee meeting in Moses Lake, which is about 1 1/2 - 2 hour drive.  In the meeting they told us what to expect and gave us some pointers.  They also told us to focus on the 12 week program.  Pres. Ware took everyone who was training with him and opened it up for discussion.  We discussed how we think the best way to train.  Basically we are to use the principles found in "Preach My Gospel".  Elder Smith and I have been working on those each day.

This week we will be making the 3 hour trip to Kennewick to attend the temple.  I'm looking forward to that.  Then on Oct. 26, one of the General Authorities is coming to speak to us.  I am so pumped for that.

My bike has a flat tire.  I fixed that.  Then I noticed that where the pedal screws are for the crank shaft has been stripped out and the derailer needed to be worked on.  I ended up taking the bike to the bike shop.  They later told me that the derailer was missing a part and would have to order it, so I would be without a bike for about a week.  Later that evening while at a dinner appointment, somehow the family we were having dinner with had heard that I my  bike was in the shop, so they are letting me borrow one of their bikes until mine gets fixed.  What a great blessing.  (I've already got my shoelace stuck.  I guess I'm going to have to get new shoe laces.  Oh, and I've already wore a hole in the crotch a pair of pants that I bought while in Pasco.)

Elder Smith and I have started to go through our area book to look for potential investigators (tracting is frowned upon and we are to only go if there is nothing else to do).  We started going through our list and contacting the people.  One house we came to the person who we had listed in the area book doesn't live there anymore,  but they people that do said that we could share our message with them.  We ended up teaching her the restoration and she also wants to come to church Sunday.  We were able to find another person who let us in.  Having people let us into their homes and give them lessons don't happen very often, but that night it happened twice.  That was pretty cool.

We do have one investigator that is preparing for baptism.  That is exciting.

That's about it.  

I love you.

Love,

Scott

Oh, I heard from a missionary that is in Vancouver that Oscar is planning on going on a mission!! (Oscar was one that we baptized while I was serving in Vancouver).

I was able to watch all of the sessions of conference.  There were some really good talks given.