Life in Nicaragua, Wonderful Family

From: Elder Andrushka Date: November 24, 2008

Dear family.

Well dad asked me to let you know about the travels and food and all that kind of stuf so i am going to start letting you know some what about nicaragua. Well travels is by taxi evry where or busses. As taxis cost alot we travel by busses. The Buses fill up so much that you dont have room to move and sometimes leave the bus. The food here is rise with beans whats called gayo pinto. They like fryed chees that is the most tipcle food. There is alot of cocunut and bananas and lots of difrent froot. We eat alot of fruits. The people are more humble here and get by what they have. IT is normal to just start a fire and walk away and leav it burning. There are other parts were we walking realy long were its contry and the poeple are realy humble in this parts. Ah there is also three wheelers its like carissas bike but two wheels in front one in back and they give you a ride and charge you mony. Um what els. Over all it seams normal to me and like its my home. this week we had our prayer awnsered as we are working with family Sanches and its second time that they have gone to church. So we will be setting a date to get baptized. .They are understanding evrything realy well. The other day we taught them plan of salvation and the mom was so exited to learn that she tooke out a notebook to take notes. The daughter remindes me of Lydia a bit. We asked her after teaching the plan of salvation and was it nessesary for adam to eat the fruite and she said yes if he didnt we coudlen exist. There are realy prepared and chosen. So i will back up a little and let you know how we found them. We have a part in our area that is far a way we take the bus there to teach. We know that the missionarys have tried many times to start a branch there. Having sacrament there and atendece but all the members there are realy young in age. So we got there and thouaght Elder Garza and I. If we want to help here we need to find a realy good family. So we walked and found a house were only the mom came to the door she was intrusted and here husband came home at the same time as we were talking he let us in and we taught about the ward of wisdome. Wich led to asking for coffe and taking in away from there house. Familia Sanches. They are very prepared by Our Heavenly Father. Well another great news is that the stake President came to our ward and the greatest part is that we had a great atendance. Wich made me realy happy that the stake president could see the progres there is so much more to do. Ah we had a elders chorum meating and we had so many people there that we could not fit in the room what change we can see. That is only doing little changes not the greatest. We had a bonfire as a branch last week as i learn how to cut treas down with an axe. Also how to work on the field. It was great getting ready. It brought lots of unity the atendence was 75 wich is great for a ward here. This branch is progresing but much to be done. I hope that i will send good amount of time in this area. Love the poeple here love the members. I have come to know them and there chalenges and disires. Thanks for all that you do for me. Oh this week i also had a great study session learning about the atonement and how its posible. It has awsnerd alot of my questions of how and whys. I love the mission and feal proud to suffer some times for such a great cause. That its rewarding but it costs to have succes. LOVE YOU ALL.

Working, Teaching, Baptizing

Working Hard and More Teaching and Baptizing

From: Elder Andrushka Dated: 11.10.08

Dear Family
It sounds like all is going well. What a family we have there is never a doll moment. It sounds like all is as normal. Evryone working hard to make things hapen the best. What a great mom and dad we have that are great examples and work to have all the most perfect in our lives. This was a great week as we helped two more enter the waters of baptisim. I realised this week that my english is getting realy bad i dont know if to worry about it or to just keep going. I think i will start reading my scriptures in english. Well last week was A sisiter named Julissa that has 22 years old and is a wife of a member. This week Is a mom of another member that we have worked for a 2 months about Sister Leda Ortega. Other is a son of a family that are all members that got baptized in 2000 and inactivated promtly after we activated the family and he got Baptized Luis Ortega but no relation to Leda Ortega. How hard we worked this week i feal like my mind my hart my evrything feals realy tired. I hope that this day i will find some rest. I am exited to go back to work and give it all i have. I feal like my spiritual strength is growing. I cant imagen the aposltel that work all there lifes what strength they have. I am more greatful for the prophet and apostles bishops and all that serve the lord what strength it takes. We finished our paper this week i will try to send a copy of it to you guys if i can. I am sorry that i havent send a picture of my self. I hope that i can next week. For the rulls i can not reaturn inles i ask special permision to do so. How i love evryone of you. Send my congratulations to nick and crystal let them know how proud i am of them. Let Crystal now i am honered to have her as my sister in law and that i hope that she will take care of my brother. Let nick know i love him and that he will make sure that crystal will reaturne to the presence of our heavenly father. Love evry one of you and thanks for all. Mom no i havent goten the packedge. Thank you for sending them to me i will let you know if i got them. Loves Elder Pearce

Becoming a Ward!!!

From: Elder Andrushka Dated: 11.03.08

Well Dear Family
This week we pushed realy hard to reach our goals. this week we also had a baptisim and it was a very spiritual. I have seen the meetings that we have to get better and better. From each one we get more and more experiance. How i love the mission and all the experiance i have had. THis week we came up with the idea of monthly paper for nindiri of the church and we are working on desinging it. The branch we just got the word that it is going to made a ward and that they are starting the proses of building the chapel they have the land. So we are looking in about 6 months this branch has grown so much. As we grow there comes new chalenges. How i love chalenges because that means more work and more succes and more growth. I love serving here i hope with all my hart that it is the will of the lord that i may serve here 6 more months to see the chapel go up. THis change we have worked realy hard with the members. You could see the spiritual change in the meatings. You could see the revrence during the sacrament. How i love the work of the lord. I pray and hope that i will grow more and that i will be able to help more poeple. Heavenly Father has pout so much confidence in me. Lets see what els hapend this week. We had a chaleng in the church in elders chorum. We had a special meating after and talked things out. As the work progreses the enemy pouts his couple sentences in as he can. May we all keep pushing forward in this work of the lord. May we never set our sword down. May we keep it sharp and ready at all times. With all love Elder PearceT he work go´s on.

Working to Become a Ward

From: Elder Andrushka Dated: 10.27.08

Dear family
well i dont have much time to write this week. We have bin working realy hard and had a great succes. Santos who had 82 years old got baptized last week. This week we have another baptisim. We are working realy hard on all little by little we have reached almost our goal were we would like to be. I know that this week we will work harder and reach more. The atendance this week reached 105. The ward is starting to work and c ome together. I think that we arnt that far away to become a ward. The church has the land they are just waitig that we reach a goal of 30 elderes to start the church i hope that i am here to see that church go up. The people here have bin waiting a while to see the church. Love this work i love the lord and hope that all is well mom i will send a picture next week. Love you all

Shining Shoes

From: Elder Andrushka Dated: 10.20.08

Thank you for your letter Dad.
Dear Family well this week i have learnd alot as always you see whean you have more presure if you realy have become a better person and a better missionary the lord ask us to do the work with a chearful hart. This week we had the chance to go to the market and to shine peoples shews and to ask for refrence. It was a realy good experiance that we did as a zone the poeple came to realize that we practice what we teach as we were humbled to bring about this work and the poeple were humbled also they at first thaught we were trying to get somthing but it was awsome experiance. My camera is full but i will send some pics all that i have. I only have of the other activity that we did. We worked realy hard this week. I feal joyfull to see the result of our work. THis week we filed our rented chapel full that there wasent anyamore room. What a joy it was as 96 or so asisted the church i love this little town with all my hart. We have pout a project in to action and hoping that it will double the asistencia i dont have much time to epxlain the plan. We devided Nindiri in 11 sectore. Each sectore we called al lider and he has a team of 5 people or so. They are 2 with pristhood and 2 of sociedad de socoro. Evryone is realy exited to work with this plan as we spent some time working with branch president and chorum president to get this plan going. We as missionarys will be helping suprevise this work. Its to help retain our efert. Love this work and i am exited for the next week. We had a baptism he has 88 years old and he is just needs to go to church one more tim e he has 2 in the church and he needs 3 to baptize some one. The reason he cant go to church is that he has bad health.This week we will try to get permission from the president to baptize him. Also found two new familys i will let you know how thats going next week. Love you all. Be ye all strong in doing good and keeping the commandments.
Love Elder Pearce

Buenas

From: Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: 10.13.08

Dear Family
Well lets see what hapend this week. We had a very good turne out on our mutual night for the whole ward. We also got to help a family get merried and it was a very lovely time. I got to learn a little how to decorate and plan for a weding. I remember at the end i gave a little advice and i could give an example of my lovely mom and dad. Also this week we had a meating with the stake were all the missionarys got to teach all the bishops counsler and all about Preach my Gospel and it went realy well. It amazed me how much experiance we have with preach my gospel. Not only we read it i could see how we live. I got to teach about camitment and i got to learn realy well about camitment. THis week has gone realy fast we are working realy hard. THis week we have a 81 year old brother he lives with his son who is mamber. He is very faithful do to not having much strength to go to church he has walked and sacrificed to go. I have come to realize that the spirit dose the work we live worthy to fallow the spirit and to be in the presence of him. I HAD SOME mericles hapen this week as we got on a bus a brother told me he has bin looking for me. He said elder pearce i have bin looking for you to prepare my wife to get baptized he told me in english. We started talking and i found out he is from nicaragua he lived in maiami and that he has served a mission and has 41 years. I could feal the spirit tell me and testify that i have seen him before and that i was ment to be in this area at this time to help him and his wife. I love this work i love seaing mericles. I will let you know what els hapends. Oh another quick mericle. In nicaragua there is a lot of home shops. They sell candy and lots of stuf. We past by one and my companion baught a loly pop one for him one for our mission lider and one for me. As he gave me mine i felt like i shouldent eat it and that some one needed one. It was amazing because the spirit was clear what he wanted. I could feal like some one needed it so i pout it in my pocket and kept on walking. At the same time looking in the streets like who needs this. I pased by some small children nothing. Then we past by a les active person and a little boy steped out with a black eye. We asked what hapend and found out he has some sicknes in his eye. I then new that it was for him. The spirit is clear if we are prepared to recive it. This week we also got to have a zone confrence in wich presindent Fraatz talking about repentance i love the talks about repentance that he gives they are realy clear and motivate to do better giving up not only the big things that you do but also the little things that you dont do and do. Love this work love evry single one of you keep up writing. Elder Pearce

uno mas año

From: Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: 10.06.08

Dear Family
The time is just pasing by like a rushing river. We got in this are and started to work hard we had a mutual with all the members. We watched legasy and talked about sacrifice it went well as the branch president caught our vission and is ready to help and work hard. We are starting a project were we can help with home teaching feloshiping and retaning new converts i am exited to work on it. We had a set back this week thinking that i could do it with out the lords help. I had to be humbled and ready to work harder this week. We have had many meatings with the branch president and our mission leader and the elders chorum president. They are starting to catch the vission of what we are doing. We had a baptisim this week in a old church baptisimal font as we cleanded it out it lookes like a swiming pool it was a great experiance. I have come to love this are i know that there is so much work to do. Also this week we went to the market with all the missionarys and started singing to get atention of all then as we had a box we one by one got up on the box to share with all the message. Not many stoped by to leasten we gave away pamphlets and it was a great experiance to get up and loose the fear in the work and share with peopel why we are here as misisonarys. I loved standing up and sharing with all a desire to come closer to our Savior Jesus Christ i know this is the work of the lord it moves and will be sounded in evry ear. The work is growing here. Our mission president has a very big vission. I am so glad to be here and to be part of this work. The best part as you loose your slef in the work you come to find awnsers to what is measing and what needs to corected in your life. Congrats nick and crystal i love you dearly and will next week send pictures. oh all my family is going to be together. Know dearly how much i love each one of you. Loves Elder Pearce

First Week

From Elder Matthew Courtright, dated October 13, 2008 (edited for punctuation, capitalization, and sacred or personal third-person content)

Hello Sister Freeman!

If you haven't assumed as such yet, this is Matt, or Elder Courtright, as I have been called lately. This has been one crazy week since I left Houston 1 week and 2 days ago. Uh, I got to Salt Lake at 3:30 on Friday afternoon and [a couple newly affianced] picked me up. Awkward! I have never had such a desire to scream and explode. We picked up Bro. Steward at the Church offices and drove home.

Saturday was [General] Conference. so we just watched that and that's it. Sunday, [a brother and sister and their respective fiances] and [the female fiance's] brother and I went to the Sunday morning session of Conference at the Conference Center. We had the most amazing seats. We sat on the floor 50 feet from the prophet. If I had sniffed hard enough, I could have smelled him. It was amazing. We also saw [Elder Groberg] (or however you spell it), the missionary from the movie The Other Side of Heaven. He's old now, as you might assume, but I saw him.

Then Monday and Tuesday happened. And Wednesday, Sis. Steward and Daina brought me to the MTC. I met my companion, Elder ----, who, outside of being super weird, is a great man. He is really passionate about this work. He encourages me to do things I wouldn't normally do because I am too prideful. My other 2 roommates are Elder Hiatt and Elder Albino. Elder Albino is from Hawaii, so we are learning lots of Hawaiian words, and Elder Hiatt is from N. Carolina.

We met the rest of our district Wednesday night. Only 3 out of the 12 people in our district are from Utah, 0 from Idaho. Pretty amazing huh? We have a really close, spiritual district. We bonded closely within 2 days. Unfortunately, 7 of us are going to Denver, 3 to Washington, D.C. and 2 to New Zealand. It's gonna be a really hard day when they split us up.

Uhh, what else? The lessons have been amazingly spiritual. I remember everyone telling me that, but I never would have imagined the magnitude of it. It's incredible. I love it. I have learned more in 1 week and felt the Spirit more than I did probably the entire time I was home this summer.

Today we went to the temple and that was a really good experience. I [participated in a prayer] and the lady [next to me] was bawling throughout the entire prayer. I felt such a love for her and when we were in the Celestial Room, I was impressed to thank her for her faith and testimony. I dunno why, but I was. Also, turns out in the MTC rules, elders aren't supposed to [participate because] it's holding a lady's hand. I plead ignorance this time.

I have been super lucky here because I forgot some things at the Stewards' house, but Hannah has brought them to me. If you think of it, ask Sis. Lyon for a Houston Temple Recommend holder. I asked Hannah to call her, but I forgot. My box number is 120 in case Daina didn't give that to you. It's great having friends work at the MTC.

Also, I think I am the only one in my district who hasn't been homesick. I don't think I can be since I have already lived away from home for so long. I am the 3rd oldest, and older than most of the missionaries here. It's weird cause I graduated a whole year before them.

Well, time is almost out. Just so you know, THE GOSPEL IS STILL TRUE! I WOULD KNOW! Send my love out :)

--Elder Courtright

The End of One Chapter, the Beginning of Another

Editor's note:

Dear Reader: This week marks the end of an eight-year saga for the Freeman family, that of experiencing the joy of a son's missionary service. It has been nearly four years since we have not had a son serving a full-time mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Words cannot express the great joy and rejoicing I take in the decisions my sons have made to serve the Lord in preaching His Gospel, and I know that service will bless them their entire lives.

The change this will bring about in the lives of the Freeman family will be a significant one. However, I am not removing my eight-year-old 'missionary mom' tag from my key chain just yet. Since the loss of correspondence from my sons leaves a vacancy in this blot, I have recruited a young man in our ward who himself is a convert to the Church. Matt Courtright was baptized when he was about 16 years old (if I understand correctly), and is the only member of the Church in his family. I have watched him grow and mature in the gospel over the past four years and know he will make an outstanding missionary.

Elder Courtright, called to serve in the Colorado Denver North Mission, has graciously agreed to be my surrogate missionary son and I hope I can be of some support to him while he takes these two years to serve the Lord. While he is not in the Tarbet-Neves family and unknown to any but the Freeman branch of it, he is definitely in our ward family, and his contributions, like this blog itself, will continue to share faith-building experiences and hopefully instill in members of the Church a greater zeal for missionary work.

Enjoy.

Penny Freeman

Last Email as a Missionary

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated October 8, 2008

Dear Mom,

You said it yourself. It's hard to think of something to write. But, you didn't have to worry yourself about sending me a "trunky" email. I don't get trunky. I just have a hard time sleeping at night when I get to thinking about not knowing what direction my life will take me. It's not that I'm worried so much as struck with wonder. Then I realize this wonder is going to accomplish nothing but a groggy morning when I wake up. It's an exciting time. But, just like you and Dallas have been telling me I look forward to making the most of this final week.**

Friday, there is a baptism for a lady we started teaching up in Victorville and had to hand her over to the english missionaries. She kicked her boyfriend out, moved her kids in, and quit smoking. As far as I know she's been going to church every week for a few months now. Her name is June. It was so cool to teach her and now she will be baptized on Friday and confrimed Sunday at the Samoan sacrament service.

This week, we are working in Rancho Cucamonga with Elder Krebs and Elder Johnson. They've been without investigators for a while, so they could really use the help. Yesterday we taught like crazy. Elder Krebs and I went tracting yesterday morning, and the very first person to answer the door invited us in. His name is Patrick and he said he's muslim.

This guy is really cool. He is the nicest and meanest guy ever. He talked about how he used to pride himself in being bigger and badder than anyone else. He wasn't just cocky either. Seriously, this dude is big and bad. He said if he ever got caught and convicted of everything he did, he would be in prison for 200 something years. But, one time he was seriously beating this guy in the face, saying all kinds of foul stuff to get him into submission, when an old guy came up and said to him "Boy! Leave that man alone". That made him angry but the old guy told him something that hit him like a ton of bricks, he said "A weak man can never show mercy". He said what that old man told him just played over again and again in his head and he finally realized how weak he really was.

Later, he got into the Nation of Islam but they kicked him out for "being too radical". He was telling everything he thought about how Islam is messed up. He made a lot of interesting points. The only thing is the subject matter and his language isn't appropriate to repeat, but he had a valid argument. This whole time he was commending us missionaries for the work we do. He seemed to admire it. He also seemed curious about what it was that motivated us. Elder Krebs said a few things that impressed him and after we taught him about the Book of Mormon he said "There most be something to that book". Then, he sent us on our way with a couple of Oreo cookies and we left him with a copy of the Book of Mormon.

After lunch, we didn't really know where to go and I suggest we go to a certain area. Elder Krebs led the way and determined the street we should track and we ended up spending the rest of the day on only one side of that street. Several people weren't home, other weren't interested, but there were like 5 houses in a row where we taught good, meaningful lessons. We ended up with one new investigator and a few potentials. It was nothing short of miraculous. We ended up teaching 7 lessons on that one half of the street. It was amazing. What an amazing way to spend the last week of a mission.

Thank you both Mom and Dad for making this possible. I don't think I could ever do or say enough to show you what it means to me. Without your love and support it never would have been possible. I am so looking forward to seeing you next week, and especially getting started on your to-do list.

Love,

Elder Freeman

** Editor's note: Elder Freeman will be arriving at the George Bush International Airport on Tuesday, October 14, 2008, at 2:14 pm. He will be flying Sky West from Salt Lake City.

I'll Be Home for Christmas

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated October 1, 2008

Dear Mom,

I appreciate your email very much. I'm glad the power is back on and you and Dad can get back to regular every day living. And, these pictures are amazing. The new Park has a volley ball net?! That is terribly exciting. Ever since I got transferred out of the Samoan ward I haven't played volleyball.

Oh, as far as jury duty goes, I might as well stick to that date and get it over with. I'm not sure if you read about it in my last letter, but I checked my application status online a couple weeks ago and it said I had been denied to BYU Provo. I'm not really sure where to go from there, but going to school in Idaho doesn't sound all that appealing. I check out both the University of Texas and Sam Houston University, but still I'm not convinced one way or the other. I've got the idea that I can start out like Adam did in community college and see where it takes me from there. Especially because I really don't know what career I want. I know I've got plenty of time to figure it all out and only two months at home doesn't sound nearly enough to get grounded before heading out to school. I'll leave it at that for now.

I always say there is plenty of time to think about those things on the plane ride home.

We've spent the last week here in Upland, searching for new investigators. At times it feels like we're not doing as well as we should be. That just means I need to step back and remember that this is the Lord's work. All I have to do is make sure I'm focused on doing it His way. Whenever, I try to take over to do it my way it hardly ever works out. We've talked to really great people who are sincere about learning the gospel. I feel so blessed when we finally find someone like that. Each time is a miracle and a breath of fresh air. It feels like I've been out forever, but I really wouldn't have it any other way because I know I have been about my Father's business.

I'm so grateful for everyone who has made this possible. Especially my parents.

Thank you both Mom and Dad.

Love,

Elder Freeman

New Area

From Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: Sept. 29, 2008

Dear Family

Noooo I changed area and now I am in Masay. I love this area but miss the old one. It’s called Nindiri. My companion has 6 months and his name is Elder Garza. He is a very good missionary. We went right down in planning what we are going to do for this branch. Yes, it’s my first branch and I hope and pray that I will have 6 months here.

We got to know the branch president. He is a returned missionary and knows what missionary work is like. We have to do a lot of work to win the confidence of all the members here. I think the missionaries have a not very good reputation.

It is a very beautiful department (area?). The weather is colder and drier. I am starting to get used to it.

I have got a feeling that in this area we are going to reach miracles. I have been thinking a lot how fast my mission has passed me by. This area I hope to arise to a new sense of urgency. Believe me when I say I do have it. One year more is not enough time. I want to bless as many lives as I can. I have become a little hard. Meaning I preach repentance but this week I have put a goal to teach with more love.

I think sometimes it’s hard to make all the difference with love but that is what makes all the difference. I have come to realize the work of Mom and Dad. That it was hard. I have been feeling lately how blessed I am to have such a wonderful family. I love you all. Thank you Dad and Mom for all that you do.

Oh, we also opened this area. It was closed. What a wonderful experience. This life is full of experiences. The only thing we do is choose what we do. Will we rise to the challenge or will we run and hide?

I love my Savior. I love this work. It is truly the Lords church.

To you all who can read these words, Love You!
Elder Pearce

Three Weeks

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated September 24, 2008

Dear Mom,

I love being a missionary. Yesterday we went around talking to people looking for someone to teach. We talked to many people and taught many lessons, but no one could see how much this gospel can bless their lives. Last night we talked to a man that had basically pulled himself out of the gutters of LA. He supported his family in a nice home by working cement. He's a tough guy but you could feel his frustration when he talked about losing everything. I wanted more than anything for him to know the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. He flat out rejected it. I told him that if came down to his last ditch effort, that reading the Book of Mormon is what he should do. I don't know if he'll ever consider it. All I know is that if he does, it will change his world around completely for the better. He will have more hope, and more strength, even more love. But, that is a big if.

The rest of the night I thought about how troubled the world is. I longed for nothing more than to see people turn to God in a way they only talk about.

We talked to a young man who said he would never follow a prophet of God at the risk of missing the mark. He said that no man should stand between us and God. Then, when we commited him to read the Book of Mormon, he said he would have to ask his pastor. No wonder the Savior said that they honor him with their lips but their hearts are far from them.

Just know that I am finishing strong. This is the greatest opportunity I have to teach the Gospel. I appreciate every minute of it. I hope you all are doing well and if the power's not on that it will be soon.

May the Lord bless and keep you.

Love,

Elder Freeman

A Dry Desert

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated September 10, 2008

Dear Mom,

This new assignment has started out a little bit more challenging than I had hoped. We've been going out every day since last Friday looking for people to start teaching. Our goal is to find 15 new people who are willing to set up appointments for the missionaries in this area to come and teach them. We go out tracting and ride around on our bikes talking to everyone, which of course is what missionary work is all about, but we seem to be coming up short every day. There is very little to show for our efforts.

We do report how many hours we spend specifically finding new people to teach, and that shows our efforts, but the number of new people that we actually find shows the fruits of our labor. So, we have a lot of hours to report but not a lot of people. The main reason it concerns me is because that is our main responsibility. We don't have a ward and we don't have to worry about a lot of others things, so it should be simple and straight forward enough. I think the key is being in the right place at the right time and knowing it. All that depends on being obedient and following the Spirit.

Yesterday, we spent all day finding, and I was getting frustrated because we taught some good lessons and even handed out copies of the Book of Mormon. They could have counted as new investigators only if they would accept a specific return appointment. But, they all said they were busy. We were on our way to dinner when we saw this lady in her garage and decided to stop and talk to her. My companion did most of the teaching and she turned out to be our only new investigator that day. We felt really blessed.

I began to understand better about how this work is the Lord's and it will be done His way. I just need to continue to be diligent and steadily improve and strive to follow the Spirit. It's a challenge but I'm grateful for the opportunity. It's definitely is keeping me focused and busy, so I don't need to worry about slacking off.

Thanks for writing to me about everything that's going on at home. I'm super excited for Matt and it's great to hear how much support he's getting from the ward.

Dallas wrote me and said he's excited about the idea of me going to BYU, and I am too. I just checked my application status and sure enough, they received the ecclesiastical endorsement and believe it or not, I've already been admitted to BYU-Idaho. Now, I just have to wait to receive word from BYU. There could be a letter in the mail before I get home. If it does come, go on and rip it open and you can email me what it says.

Thanks again for everything you do.

Love,

Elder Freeman

Bus Contacting

From Elder Andrey Pearce Dated September 1st 2008

Thank you so much Dad for the talk that you send me. I have realy come to
learn what it means to teach by the spirit because wean i dont have the
spirit i couldent teach not knowing spanish. It helps now knowing
spanish. This last week we had a 70 come and talk to us Elder
Clarke What powerfull serventsh he is. Leaving that meating i felt like i
was ready to talk to the whole world. This week i have had quiete the
experiance. The first one Elder Clark chalenged us to stand up and contact a
bus. So i told my còmpanion i am giong to do it. So heres the story. So we
get to the bus station and i am already nervous. So we enter a house write
were the bus passes and teach the man that was there. Then we left the
house and came the bus. So i let my companion pass by then i got on the bus
write in front of the buss driver and i asked him if i could talk to
the whole bus. He said sure. So i braiced my self and started talking i
started out hi then i asked a question as all faced me and my hart
started to beat boom boom. Then i made the mastake to ask a question and
a lady in the back replied wich made things easier i talked about the
booke of mormon and envited all to church. The hardest part was walking
back to my seat as i didnt have anything to brace my slef. Hahah i thaught
to my slef next time i will prepare a talk to give on the bus we will see
if i will have the couredge to preach on onther bus there wasent more
then 20 people but all that know me i dont like talking in huge
grupes ahahah. Well then we had a mutual in ruben dario. We set a
goal to have 30 poeple there and as we didnt have time we chalenged the
members to invite all and they did we had a lovly mutual or meating. I
taught about unity i have come to love this ward alot. I have come to
realize a trick to life i am the happiest wean i serve. Wean i forget about
my slef and go to work. I hope that i can learn how to better forget about
my slef and work. We also had a baptisms this week wich was a mericle.
Cesar he has 26 years we called him over the phone because he works far a
way and we can only teach him saturday and Sunday he goes to church by him
self o evry other sunday because of work. Each time he came he came with a
friend. So we called him and asked if he was ready to be baptised thirsday
and he said maybe. We told him if he pased the in terview he said yes.
Sunday morning we had scedualed the intrerview for 6:30 in the morning and
he showed up. at 7:00 we envited all members and they came he passed the
interview then we baptized in sacrament meating was confirmed and i could
feal the spirit strong as i sat with him testify to me that it was write.
I love the work i have to much to wirte So i will end with my testimony.
I know that the savior is center of this life we cant do anything or go
anywere without him. May we see his will each day and do what he would
have us do. I love him with all my hart. I know that with his help i will
reaturne in the presence of my heavenly father. Love you All
Thanks for your prayers. Congrats Tomi 3 kids is it a boy or a girl?
Thanks mom and dad for all you do!

Foxes Have Holes

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated September 3, 2008

Dear Mom,

There has been a most unexpected development in my mission carrier. Not only have I been transferred out of my last area, leaving my companion behind, but I've been assigned to be a Traveling Elder. My companion, Elder Futch, and I are responsible for going to certain areas in the mission and strictly find new investigators to be taught by the missionaries in that area. We're starting off here in Rancho Cucamonga with two elders who just whitewashed into two wards.

To make things even more interesting, my companion and I will be relied on for our language skills. Elder Futch is a Spanish-speaking missionary. President Sanchez mentioned sending us to English, Spanish, and Samoan units. We'll be doing this for the entire transfer and will be my last assignment. It came as a complete surprise. I was expecting to go back to the Samoan ward for this last transfer, but it turns out the sister missionary from Samoa is training a new sister missionary and they put them in the Samoan ward.

I don't know how that is going to work if we are to help them find new investigators, especially since we don't have a car. But, the idea of at least visiting for one last time is exciting enough for me. I'm a bit reluctant though on account of how much out of practice my Samoan is. Hopefully Elder Futch and I will get some study time.

It's also something that will keep me busy and focused. I don't expect it will feel any shorter but at least I have strong motivation to work hard until the end. Also, finding new people to teach is not one of my strengths. Hopefully I'll be able to grow. I look forward to working on a bit of Spanish too, but not at the expense of my Samoan. It'll be a lot of fun too, going around to all different areas in the mission.

Oh, I did get your box. They did deliver it to the mission office by the 26th, but it took another day for them to forward it to our apartment. I actually got it Wednesday after we did our shopping. Thank you so much, it really was a party in a box. I regret not making the cake though. We didn't have any vegetable oil and it was the end of the month. The CD is fantastic and we listen to it all the time. Thanks a bunch.

Thanks also for the emails and the prayers.

Love,

Elder Freeman

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated August 27, 2008
Note: Elder Freeman's birthday was August 26, 2008

Dear Mom,

What fantastic things you've been up to! I so appreciate everything you've done. I'm very impressed with the website and thank you for all the neat video clips. Unfortunately, the computers at the library don't have speakers and missionaries don't have headphones, so I'll have to figure out something.

But, I want to let you know that I have re-applied for BYU in Provo and Idaho. I was super excited to find that they still had my application from 2005 when I first applied. All I had to do was long on with my user name, after calling for help with my forgotten password, then I found all the information was there from 3 years ago. I only changed a few things, the ones that have to do with serving a mission, and revamped my essay. They still had my ACT score and my high school transcript.

The only thing that was no longer valid was the ecclesiastical endorsement. So I printed off the form and sent it to President Sanchez. Hopefully he will send a positive endorsement :) . The deadline for applying for winter semester in January is October 1st.

Exciting still was the 30$ I payed last time to process the application is still good. I thought about taking a shot at Hawaii, but just decided not to. You were absolutely right on the family blog when you said I change my mind with my socks. But, there are a lot of things that are drawing me to BYU and really only one thing keeping me back and that's finances. However, I'll continue to pray about it, and if BYU is the place for me I won't worry to much about money. I don't want to be impoverished, but I know that money isn't everything. I'm not even sure what I want to study.

Anyway, that stuff will all work itself out in time. It's more difficult than I thought putting it to the back of my mind. The last thing I want is to lose focus this last transfer and bum out like so many others. One of our roommates complimented me on my lack of "trunkiness" and now I feel frustrated because 1) he spoke too soon and 2) now I have to live up to that :) . But seriously, there is so much to enjoy while still engaged in this work.

Thank you for sending the package. No, I haven't received it yet but yes, I just barely got a CD player from a garage sale for 5$. And my companion can't wait to send me home so he can have all my stuff.

Thanks again for everything mom, you're the greatest.

Love,

Elder Freeman

I Know Heavenly Father Loves Me!

From Elder Andrey Pearce Dated: August 25, 2008

It’s been a treat to read the letters from Mom and Dad. This week has been really hard as we worked super hard. I feel like some times on the mission my faith is tried and if we pass, we gain a stronger testimony. We pushed hard this week to accomplish our goals and hope to see the progress in the future.

Dad, I started my mission 22 de Agosto. I think I am starting to learn how to be better in Spanish than English. I was thinking the other day it’s easier to write.

This week we found a lot of new converts and we had conference which was very well done and spiritual.

The other day I had an experience that led me to understand that my Heavenly Father loves me so much. So, we are walking to our appointment to eat. We are just tired, the rain is coming down and we don’t have anything to cover us. I really didn’t want to get my shoes wet. As the street are like rivers, I am jumping around, dodging the puddles. I come to one part that I have no where to go. So I start thinking, “What am I going to do?” I walked back and forth for awhile. It’s dark, I am looking for rocks to cross and nothing. At the moment that I was about to jump, up rides a man on a bicycle and tells me to jump on, so I did and he passed me through the water without getting wet. I jumped off and thanked him. He drove off and I didn’t know if he was a member or not.

I just remember what he looks like. I was thinking at that moment what love my Heavenly Father has for me, that He provided a way for me to cross the waters.

We are still working with the Munoz family but they’re having a hard time. They don’t want to change their Catholic beliefs so we are going to meditate a lot this week to see what we can do for them.

This week we had another Mutual with members. We talked about unity and it went very well.

I love this mission and all the opportunities that I have to serve, to learn and to give of myself. I hope this next year that I can give more and do better.

I was thinking the other day, when we first start out mission, we just jump in and start swinging our sword but not really hitting anything, just making noise. Then as we gain experience we sharpen our sword and with every blow we make a difference having strategy how we battle. I know this is the work of God. I love my Savior and hope to come to know him better and shape my life after Him.

Loves,
Elder Pearce

Lehi's Dream

From, Elder Paul Freeman, dated August 20, 2008
[note: Paul's paternal grandfather died on Saturday, August 16, 2008, at the age of 94].

Dear Mom,

Your latest letter was very much appreciated. It was masterfully composed. I found it most uplifting and reassuring. I really enjoy hearing about everything that is going on.

I found out about Grandpa's death when I called President Sanchez on Monday to ask him about something unrelated. He told me he had news that Grandpa passed and that you wanted me to know. I appreciated it very much and thanked him. The thought didn't even cross my mind to grieve or feel sad, because I know the plan of salvation. That's how amazing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Grandpa was a good man and Grandma had been waiting, and it all makes the plan that much more real. I'm eternally thankful for the power and mercy of our Heavenly Father that allows families to be sealed for time and eternity. The last time did talk to Grandpa he said he wanted to try to make it to 100 yrs old. He came pretty dang close.

I also got excited to hear about Eric and Leanne's new arrival, even though I could have been spare a few details. :) And Adam and Ariane are finally moving in. I can't wait to see it all put together.

I'm also excited to hear about your efforts with Dallas and Lynda. I hardly know anything about want went on over the past year. But, I look forward to staying in contact more when I get I'm. I still haven't settle on what school I want to go to. I'll take a little time now to look at application deadlines for BYU.

Thanks again mom. I Love you.

Love,

Elder Freeman