A little old..but some updates!

I know these are a little old....but still, here they are!

11/23/10

Well it's been crazy here so far. It was really warm the first couple days but then it poured for 2 days straight and I didn't have a jacket!! It was a real bummer but it's been good. It's been getting down into the 40's lately and it's actually kinda chilly. Weird huh? And the first day wasn't really getting settled like I thought I was gunna be. We had some meetings then got set up with my trainer and then that night we knocked on doors. Baptism by fire I guess. But yeah there isn't a whole lot going on. We have a couple investigators though so that’s good.

The night we got here we were put with our trainers and I got put with Elder Cazier. He's from Star Valley! Weird huh?  We get along pretty well. After I got put with him I grabbed my bike. I love it. It's really a great bike. Elder Cazier and I drive 2 days a week and ride the rest. We share a car with another companionship. But I'd rather just be on the bikes the whole time.

We're in Escondido. There are some really nice areas around and some not so really nice areas but overall it’s a nice place. It's mostly Hispanic people here so most our contacts don't speak English which makes things a little more difficult. We're assigned to the orange glen ward in the Escondido stake and the members are really nice. We have dinner with a member pretty much every night. I didn't really get a good look at the ocean. :( But I will before I come home. The weather here was really nice the first couple of days before it started to pour!  

For mail and packages, people should mail the mission home. I don’t get packages till zone conference or transfer meetings. :( sad but I would still love to get some!

Everyone! I love you all! Please pray for me. I pray for you all every night. Hope you all are doing well and I can't wait to hear from you soon. :)

11/30/10

Everything is going well! It stopped raining but it gets colder here at night. I never really expected to be cold here… I've knocked on so many doors and most of them haven’t always been very interested...

Elder Cazier and I went to a members home and ate a wonderful meal. There was only one problem, more of a sin really. There were only about 4 or 5 pounds of mashed potatoes and there were about 15-20 people. I was appalled! Despite the serious lack of mashed potatoes, the food was delicious.

  

I'm so jealous of the snow! I miss it a ton. That’s the best part of cold weather! I wish I could shovel it for you but I can't J Yesterday we were tracting and it was maybe in the low 50's and everyone was yelling at us to get some coats on but Elder Cazier and I thought it was way warm. We met a lady who was from England who didn't want to talk religion but she took us in and made us some hot chocolate and biscotti stuff. It was way good and she was really nice.

I would love some pictures of the tree and the lights. It would make me so happy. Christmas season here is way too different. Our whole sacrament meeting on Sunday was about gratitude and the man used President Monson’s talk in it a lot. It's really a great talk.

I have great news! We've been teaching a man named Jim and he's committed to be baptized on the 18th!! It's so awesome and I'm really excited! It was such a wonderful surprise and it's just so great to see that happen. It's so wonderful to see the Atonement take effect in people’s lives. Please pray for him, because now that he's made that commitment Satan is really going to work hard on him.

I've had many opportunities to share my testimony and it's so wonderful. I love seeing the spirit work with people and notice how it's strengthened me and my testimony. We're teaching mostly less active members right now so that’s been a good experience.

12/7/10

The Lords work is hard and tiring but so worth it. He blesses us and others through us when we work with all our heart. I've seen it happen out here every day. It's so awesome to see the Lord’s hand in my life and in other’s lives. I never really noticed until I came out here and started serving all day.

It's great to hear the lights on our house are all done. I can stop worrying about dad now. J And of course he left the hammer on the roof, there is always something like that that happens! But I'd love some pictures of it and the snow and everything!

It's started to warm up a little but it's supposed to get cold again, I think. It's really nice weather here. Always sunny and bright, I can't stand it! I need overcast cloudy days and lots of snow! Christmas is supposed to be white! I'll get over it though I hope.

I'm so glad to hear the ward there in Logan is so willing to help. I always loved doing Sub for Santa and the fruit baskets every year. Is the youth still doing that? If I can help at all to provide someone with a great Christmas let me know. Tell the ward I love them and wish them a merry Christmas for me.

Jim is still scheduled to be baptized on the 18th and I'm so glad. He's doing really well. I have some pictures with him that I'll send with the SD card when I send it. He's really a great guy and a good friend.