September 23, 2009

Hi everyonewell things are getting good. i'm now halfway through my first transfer! man has it flown. i'm now used to the schedule and the long days and the food and my companion and the area and how everything works. We are doing good but we ran into a stumbling block i guess you could say. believe it or not a mission isn't always about baptizing. I'm sure dad, Buddy and Tyson already know this. We can't do anything in this Branch until we change the people in the branch. if you were to take our ward and the amount of drama that goes on in it and multiply it bay atleast 10 or 15 that is what it is like here. the members have been here for so long that they know so much about everyone that they don't do anything so we are trying to help the members get the unity of the ward back and the love that is missing so that when we bring people to the church they don't feel shunned or left our because of who thier mom or thier aunt is which has happened. so thats something i didn't think to expect. its way fun though! i love doing this work. If any of you guys want to rain there is plenty of it over here i guess the saints are just more righteous over here cuz it rains everyday hard rains to and we don't even have to fast for it! haha just kidding but seroiusly its rained every day for 2 weeks good rains to. two days ago we were helping a less Active member on his home who used to be the Branch President. He got called to serve in kuwait for the army and when he was gone the branch members basically deserted him and his family so they got way offended and haven't been back for awhile. Its weird though because he knows the church is true and has a stong testimony he just hates the member here. so we were helping him out cuz all he needs is friends. he needs to repent and be forgiving and so do the members and then it will be ok but its going to be a tough thing for them to do but someone needs to. anyway he offered a prayer on luch and said thanks you for the rain but get rid of it we don't need anymore. it was funny to hear the complete opposite of what we usually pray for in Arizona.Anyway the work is going good. I love you all! be safe.

Letter from 9/16

Well hello everyone! first off mom your letter for you and dad will be at the bottom of this letter just so you know!Well the work here in Hamilton is going so great! you guys will never believe the dedication of the members here. Every tuesday night we meet at the church at 6 or 6:30 and we split up and either go and give surveys that are 4 simple question asking about the book of mormon, modern day prophets, strengthening familes and last if you answered yes to these three questions willyou accept to young men to come teach you more about these things. or we go visit less actives or we teach lessons. there is so much work here that Elder Kelley and i have to have the members help and they offer it more than i have seen anywhere elso in the chruch it is awesome.I have already been able to Experience my first baptism! there was a 10 year boy whose mother is a member but stopped going and he never was baptised so the missonaries have been teaching him but his mom wasn't letting him be baptised. she wanted him to know why he was getting baptised which is a good thing but she also said i don't want him to get older and make a serious sin and wish he wasn't baptised yet. which is wrong so when we were "teaching" him(i say that because he already knew everything) we would teach her. and one day we were teaching and he was ready to get baptised and we just kept telling her he needs to get baptised and we weren't leaving till she said it was ok and then we said some things that hit home to her and she agreed. that was on friday and he got baptised sunday and he wanted me to do it! it was cool and just an awesome expiernce. seeing the hand of the lord use us to teach her truths and soften her heart was really neat. and he is a great kid. his name is stephen Wisnat. its fun to say! but that was that.the work is going great! i ove it here. there is something great that we are going to be a part of in Hamilton we can feel it. but i have to go so that i can get mom and dads in also. but i love you guys miss you all.