October 26, 2009

I haven't been sick, i actually think that Blaine probably got food poisoning because he is the only one that got sick and he ate some sausage that morning and then he felt sick in the middle of the day but at night he was very very sick. I do have some hand sanitizer.

Haven't had any baptising, but lots of teaching... well not really but good teaching. My family I have been teaching are most likely going to be baptized on next Sunday Nov 1st. They are really cool people and they will be ready cause they have been asking a lot of questions, if they don't understand things and they have been to church 3 times in a row and love going. Hopefully they will stay faithful. That's always what i am worried about... the ward here isn't very good at keeping people active cause they have their little clicks. it kinda bugs.

They just brought in 10 sisters last transfer to just work in the Mormon Battalion Center. So they will be doing that, i don't think they will be having any of the guys do any of the work there.

That's kinda cool that Melanie got a job at the mail room. That would be an interesting job, i don't know if i would like to be up that late. But a job is a job these days. A lot of people here in Brawley are looking for jobs, but there isn't very many and there are companies laying people off all of the time too.

Wow aunt Gwen doesn't even seem old enough to be retiring. Just the other day she was there to help me put on my shirt after my surgery. Or whatever she did to help me out.... can't remember that part very well cause i was very very sleepy.

So yesterday and today has been sucky actually. Elder Johnson went home! he has only been here for one transfer and then just on Saturday he called president and said he was going home. He packed and then the zone leaders took him to the airport. He was a very good friend and a good missionary. I will miss him.

There isn't very many flowers in this area... maybe in San Diego, but all i see is fields and then i see a lot of sage brush and just sand and dirt. There is good looking flowers in Costco but that's about it lol. Your day time high is my night time low lol... i like Utah a lot better than California cause there is that change in seasons.

I did got the halloween package and ate a lot of the candy, but of course i shared with Blaine. I got it the same day as the cord. We are going to carve pumpkins on Saturday cause we have to go inside before dark. so we need something to do lol

I am still doing great and working hard :) I love you so much

October 19, 2009

Elder Blaine and Me San Diego Temple

I will probably buy another memory card for my camera. Then I can send it home and you could print the pictures at home. It just costs a lot of money to print them off here and then send them home in the mail.

We eat at members house usually at night for dinner. For breakfast I usually cook me some eggs or have a bowl of cereal, cause that's good stuff too. At Costco I was able to get a mass supply of food for lunch and cereal for breakfast. It's good food too. I got hamburger meat to cook me some sloppy Joe's or tacos or whatever I feel like at the moment. What I bought cast about 25 dollars and it will last the whole transfer.

Blaine and I are always cool and best friends. We work pretty hard and love the work.. So it's easy to get along and lets face it. I am amazing so, how could we not get along. lol. just kidding.

Elder Overman moved and a guy replaced him, named Elder Gunnell. He is really good at speaking Spanish and is a funny guy.

Mom, we were trained not to do anything in the earthquake, so I just fell back to sleep. I was tired, so I wasn't going to move. Sleep was more important. I am a missionary, so I would have been protected by the power of god :)

Lots of people ask me about my headaches. I always forget to write about them. Just so you know, I haven't had a bad one since the MTC. That was the worst. I still have the little ones a couple times of week, like I did when I was at home, but, they don't. cause a problem at all. I haven't missed a day of proselyting for any sickness; just Elder Blaine throwing up everywhere, that was a good reason to stay inside.

We just did one session at the temple and then stayed and played in San Diego for the rest of the day, because Elder Johnson and I have never been to San Diego so they showed us around a little and it was really fun. But, I will definitely go back to the temple again. We should go as a family when I am done with my misson.

Elder Johnson and Hall

Fossil Canyon

Today we went hiking around some rocks; that was pretty cool. It's called Fossil Canyon, but there wasn't many fossils there. It's pretty mountainous; it was fun. I think I ma in better shape than when I use to go hike places. We hiked most of the morning, like 4 hours. I loved it. I think I will be hiking around a lot when I get home. Its a lot of fun.

We should have two people getting baptized next week. They are really cool. Eric and Elizabeth jut moved here and are trying to start a new life and get away from some of the bad things they were doing. They came to church last week, and we started teaching them every day almost and then on Sunday we asked, if they would prepare to be baptized on the 25th. They said, "Let's pray about it." So, we said go and pray about it tonight we will talk to you about it tomorrow. Then Eric was like, "How about I pray right now?" I tried to stop him, not really. It was the coolest thing ever! They received their answer right then and there inside the church.

Besides them it's the same people that we have been teaching . . slowing down again, after we found a lot of people, but still lots of work to do.

If I have an English appointment that day,I usually study what we are going to teach them in English. But, every other day I study in Spanish. I get a little frustrated with Spanish. I threw my text book at my bed cause I couldn't understand anything, but after I took a break from it for a little while, I was able to do better.

I love you so much. Thanks for everything.

October 15, 2009

I don't really have to cook much in this area; we have dinner every night. I have a microwave, but we don't have a crock pot.

I am staying in Brawley with Blaine still, so not hying really changed too much. Elder Overman got transferred though, so there is only Elder John left in the desert with me that was here from my first transfer.

I experienced my first earthquake! It was in the middle of the night. I woke up cause my bed was shaking and I looked at the ceiling and noticed it was moving too. So, I went back to sleep. I woke up during the after shock also. They weren't very big.

The temple was so awesome! It is so pretty inside and outside. It's kind of small inside though. Not very many people go. The temple workers said that mainly they are there to go through sessions cause there isn't enough people . They have a session every hour instead of every 20 minutes like in Ogden.

I didn't see any other missionaries except for the ones from my district. It was their working day, so I think it would have been really hard to see people. We went and played football on the beach though and that was awesome! Made me want to swim, but just walking in ankle deep water was good to me :)

The main fruit around right now is grapefruit or pomegranates. But living close to Mexico we get a lot of produce pretty cheap like bananas.

I am doing great! Thank you for everything.

October 12, 2009

There have been a lot of people just showing up in Brawley or at church and wanting to meet with the missionaries. So that has been pretty cool. I like that a lot better than knocking on doors. We have a lot of coolio people to start teaching so hopefully I don't get transferred yet, cause I love these new people and want to see them be baptized :) But, I will go wherever and teach whoever.:)

Tomorrow morning we will wake up really early and drive to San Diego and then just spend all day there and drive back at night. That will be a blast. So, I will sleep in my own bed :) and go to bed early because 3:00 in the morning is probably when we will leave.

I have been to the citrus fields that are in California Sorin'. We went on accident trying to find a house that didn't exist.
I am doing fine you never have to worry about me. I am he-man :) Language is always coming along. I am doing great. I have had a lot of time to study, because Elder Blaine has been sick, but, it's been good.

Today I am getting a Costco card so I will be able to get some good stuff from he store. I also got my flu shot for 2 dollars. My shot hurt more than when you do it, mommy, and I only had to wait in line for 3 hours to get it lol. There were so many people there. It was at the mall and the line wrapped around the mall and it took us 3 hours to get inside and then when we came out there were people past where we had started to line up. It was crazy how many people showed up for it. I guess Michelle got the Swine flu, that doesn't sound good.

I taught the elders how to play Rummy, so that was kind of fun. They weren't very fast, so it took a half hour to play the first two rounds. It will be nice to play with people who know what they are doing in a couple of years. But, it was still fun, cause I haven't played for a while. I know how to shuffle cards now. When I get home I won't have to have someone else do it. Now I just need to get the bridge down and I will be golden.

I really love the mission. I really miss you guys, but I know that is just a little sacrifice to be able to serve the Lord and we will have a lot of time together after.

My testimony is always improving. I get to see miracles every day and I love being able to help people come closer to Christ. I think That I haven't really learned much more than I already know here on the mission, but I just remember a lot of stuff that I had forgotten. You guys have taught me well and I am prepared to do whatever comes my way.

I love you all. You are an amazing family. Thank you for all of the support.

Ocrober 5, 2009

For conference we just went to El Centro and watched it there. There wasn't very many people there. Besides the 12 missionaries, there were about 5 other people on the Saturday session. Then the priesthood session had about as many as our stake usually does. Everyone has to drive a lot further . . .crazy. On Sunday, besides the missionaries, there were about 20 people. A lot of people probably watched it on the Internet . . .hopefully.

We slept at the missionary house in El Centro; that was pretty fun. We didn't want to have to drive back and forth every morning. It was a good relaxing day on Saturday, but Sunday was very busy. We got home from conference an then we worked our butts off to make up for not being able to the day before.

I loved conference. I think this is the first time I have actually listened to every talk. Usually I am doing something while listening and miss some talks to do other stuff. My two favorite talks were Holland in the last session and Ballard int he priesthood session. Holland always is just so strait forward and blunt about how people need to change. He was intense about the Book of Mormon.

I am not very worried about learning Spanish. It is kind of frustrating, but I am getting better every day. I am learning more words and I think when I get into the San Diego are, I will learn tons more, because I will be in a Spanish ward, not an English one like I am now.

I think we will be getting the flu shots at the health clinic by our apartment for 2 dollars. They said they will be getting the Swine flu shot too. They just don't know when for sure. I will be sure to get everything taken care of . The last think I want to do is get sick for a couple of weeks. That would slow down the work and I already don't like to eat because it takes away from trying to find people.

I eat though, don't worry :) I probably eat too much. Mexicans always just pile on the food. I ask for a little more and get more than I started with, oh well. I think I am gaining muscle weight so that is good that I am not gaining much weight.

I need to send Carolyn a card :) She is a great aunt and supports me all the time.

We were playing racquetball this morning and elder Blaine hit me in the throat with the racquetball. It hurt a lot. I had trouble breathing. But I also learned today how to hit really really hard and now I hit it next to the ground, So, when I get back to Utah, we will have to play some and I can teach you the ways of the force, of just hitting it faster :).

I don't like snow. I like where I am. I would rather sweat than get snowed on.

September 28, 2009

Hmm... End of summer? I don't know what that is? It is supposed to be in the 110's until the end of October here. I am starting to not mind the heat though. 100 fells really good. In the mornings though and at night it is starting to get down to the 70's so that feels really good to go walk around the streets, except there is still no people to talk to.

We are going to find someplace to give us a flue shot. We found one for 2 dollars so we are probably going to go to that place on the 10th of October. There is one by our apartment but we haven't checked on how much it cost yet. But I will get one, because getting sick doesn't sound fun at all! and then the work would have to stop for that short time.

Language is coming a lot slowly. I don't know very much still, but I can at least help teach the first lesson now. So that's progress :)

That's so sad that Monty was hurt so bad! I don't think I would ever drive a car without seat belts in it. When I rolled my car, that seat belt saved my life, with the help of Heavenly Father. That's sad hopefully everything goes well for his recovery.

Jed is such a stud! I am so excited for him to get going on this great experience of serving the Lord. He will never regret giving up some things to go on the mission. Its a pretty good trade if you ask me. Don't have to worry about anything.

I love going to help people do whatever. I don't have to wear a tie. The most service I have done was one day we split a bunch of wood for the Guillen family that got baptized. They sell it at Glamis sand dunes and they were running out of time. So I got to use this machine that put 2,000 lbs of pressure down on this piece of wood. It was way sweet. And then we had a really big wind storm so we went and helped people clean up all of the branches. I was suprised when i was the only missionary who had used a chain saw before. So I got to do the easy part of cutting. They picked up everything I cut.

Mom, that's cool that you have so much training on the family history now :) it is a cool thing, Lots of people never got their temple work done while they were here on earth and we need to help that work move forward. I thought you would have been sad that your play time is coming to an end. LOL Grandma and her play time. I won't have to ever bottle anything if I live here. There is fresh fruit everywhere. Just depends on the season for what kind.

We went to dinner that night of young Women's conference and if Janel was at the game i could have seen here, because the member had the game going on TV while we were eating dinner. But i wasn't really paying attention to the game anyways.

It's actually hard to get people to come to listen to conference, because it is in El Centro at the stake center. Thats a good 20 minute drive, and they are very willing to come all this way. And not many people have cable or anything. So we will see what happens with this conference.

We have had a pretty good week with talking to people. We have seen a lot of people coming back to church that we didn't think would have a month ago. So hopefully they keep coming. Blaine and i have been working hard trying to get more and more people to come to church. We have actually worked with a lot of less active people. That seems to work for some of the time. Except for the Old Branch President that refuses to come to church. He took it very personally when they got rid of the Spanish Branch so now he wont come to church. And now he doesn't even remember how to speak Spanish. And only speaks English so I don't see what his problem is? Hopefully he will come around.