From: Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: February 9, 2009
Dear family
this week we had alot to work with. This week started realy slow and our investigetores wernt progressing. So my companion and i got to gether thirsday and recived the awnser that we need to merry them all that we can. So we went around and invited them all to get merried this week in three days.
We went to work inviting them all and getting ready for there wedding. As we went to choose the cake we walked in and sat down the laddy gave me the booke to choose the cake and was looking at me like i was getting merried i started to fealy realy nervouse because i was scared i was thinking to my self ooow its coming realy fast in my life.
We worked realy hard to get the weding ready. We decorated the house and called the lawyer to get evrything ready we ran around and didnt have very much time to dedicate to other things we needed to. The wedding went realy well as the lawyer came with her husband they are from my old ward that i was at and she gave a realy good counsel and merried them all my companion tooke some great pictures as soon as i can transfer them to my camera i will send them.
Vladimir got merried and now he wants to be baptized. The daughter came to us the other day or before the wedding and said dad whean you are merried then we can be baptized. The other day we gave him manuel to study the melckesedek priesthood. He is progresing alot and fast. He is from Nicaragua but studyd in russia and i am not sure why his name is like that.
We did the cake sharing each couple gave a pice to his or her companion over all they all loved it and it was a great activity for the members to see that it is important and is posible to get merried and not be afraid of it. I am so thank full with my Heavenly Father that he gave us the chance to do such a great work. It was a lot of stress to merry 4 couples and prepare evrything.
The next day we got up at 5 in the morning with the work of inviting all the members. we had a hard time to find some one to get up and go with us. THen at chuch we didnt have the pristhood we need and we ended up blesing and giving talks and running the meating. I am a little bit tired i am also a little sick. I am happy to have a little brake today and thankful to sacrifice and give all that i have to this great work.
That is my testimony that he lives the harder i work the more i know how real it is how blessed i am. I was thinking the other day i would never have done or know the things if i wasent her on my mission. What a blessing it is to me to be here on my mission to be learning and walking with angels. The mericles just keep coming and dont stop. The harder one works the more he belives the more He blesses us.
I am thankful to be a son of god and represent the Savior Jesus Christ. I always herd storys like this but i never thought it would become my life to serve in an area like this and have such great experiances.
well all seems well at home i am very happy for dan and carrie. From his letter he is in love and its the right thing to do. How i love my family. Hope all is well all are happy thanks mom and dad for writing to me. Elder PEarce
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Forming a New Branch
From: Andrushka Pearce Dated: February 2, 2009
Dear family
Well as always there is so much that is going on. I am so glad that Dan is getting merried and let him know that its ok i will get to see some pictures. I hope that all is well with Eric and Lean and hope that they will take the best desition that they can may the lord guide them in what they will do.
Great news i wasent changed and the best part is that i am given the apertunity to know how to change and form a branch. President kindly and dearly after changes asked me to go with him. It was a great acesion to get to know his wife. They stoped by mckdonalds. I have not eaten there for a realy long time and it reminded me of mom and many times that she kindly invited me to eat with her. Also to see a family how much love they have one for another.
Then we got to gether and i was given papers to start fealing out. I got a new companion and he is from peru Elder Maldonado he has 20 months on his mission. Well all is well we worked realy hard this week. We were blessed to help three people enter the waters this week and the spirit was strong we are hoping that the familys that we have bin teaching will resolve there chalenges.
I remember that in the mtc my teacher told me that we will be docters, psycholigest, Counslers and its true we get to do a little of evrything. As we had a chance to give some merrieg counsel to a family and we have three family that are waiting to be baptized and we need to help them get merried.
There is a man thats called Vladimir that has bin to russia and is realy smart he cant yet get baptized because he is not merried and we are helping him out. he has bin teaching all his friends each time we teach him something he goes out to teach his friends what we teach. By this they have chosen to take the step to listen to us and actualy have made apointments with us.
The work is moving along very well. I am very thankful to be part of this work. How i love this work. I feal like i have 70 years old but i am thankful to bless the people here. I love leaving so clean that the lord blesses me with revalation to bless other poeple. this is the work of god i am a little tired i will write a little more next week. Elder Pearce
Dear family
Well as always there is so much that is going on. I am so glad that Dan is getting merried and let him know that its ok i will get to see some pictures. I hope that all is well with Eric and Lean and hope that they will take the best desition that they can may the lord guide them in what they will do.
Great news i wasent changed and the best part is that i am given the apertunity to know how to change and form a branch. President kindly and dearly after changes asked me to go with him. It was a great acesion to get to know his wife. They stoped by mckdonalds. I have not eaten there for a realy long time and it reminded me of mom and many times that she kindly invited me to eat with her. Also to see a family how much love they have one for another.
Then we got to gether and i was given papers to start fealing out. I got a new companion and he is from peru Elder Maldonado he has 20 months on his mission. Well all is well we worked realy hard this week. We were blessed to help three people enter the waters this week and the spirit was strong we are hoping that the familys that we have bin teaching will resolve there chalenges.
I remember that in the mtc my teacher told me that we will be docters, psycholigest, Counslers and its true we get to do a little of evrything. As we had a chance to give some merrieg counsel to a family and we have three family that are waiting to be baptized and we need to help them get merried.
There is a man thats called Vladimir that has bin to russia and is realy smart he cant yet get baptized because he is not merried and we are helping him out. he has bin teaching all his friends each time we teach him something he goes out to teach his friends what we teach. By this they have chosen to take the step to listen to us and actualy have made apointments with us.
The work is moving along very well. I am very thankful to be part of this work. How i love this work. I feal like i have 70 years old but i am thankful to bless the people here. I love leaving so clean that the lord blesses me with revalation to bless other poeple. this is the work of god i am a little tired i will write a little more next week. Elder Pearce
Monday, February 9, 2009
Fwd: 2.9.09
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Subject: 2.9.09
Well, in mission news this week, there was in E.T. in my district. That's emergency transfer for those not well versed in the lingo. One of the Elders in my district got sent home because he has been vomitting and has had diarrehea for the last 3 weeks. So his companion is now with us. That makes 3 of us. Elder Walker, Elder Paull, and myslef. The first 2 days were hard making the ajustment. But everything is smooth now.
We had a baptism on saturday for Jessica Kear. It was awesome. While she was getting changed, Elder Paull and I taught an amazing lesson. It was the Restoration, but it was probably the best i have ever heard myself do. The Bishop of the ward (who is not my friend) decided he thought he could tell us, the missionaries, what to do for a convert baptism. I wasnt having none of those games. You might think to yourself, "oh crap, he ran his mouth." I didnt. I did tell him nicely though that baptisms were our show and that it was all our decisions. He wanted to make petty things a big deal. Hommie dont play that yo.
On sunday, i was able to confirm Jessica a member of the church. that was an awesome experience for me. Definately intimidating cause there were like 10 people in the circle, one of those was the stake pres. Not what i wanted for my first time.
Things have been going really well for us. Since there are 3 of us, we are covering 2 wards which is double the work load. we are constantly busy. Hope everything is going well. Someone tell Chris i say hi, and he better hit me up with an email and pictures, and remember my birthday is on the 2nd of March! Thats the big 2-0!
Be good
Elder Courtright
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Feb 9, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Subject: 2.9.09
Well, in mission news this week, there was in E.T. in my district. That's emergency transfer for those not well versed in the lingo. One of the Elders in my district got sent home because he has been vomitting and has had diarrehea for the last 3 weeks. So his companion is now with us. That makes 3 of us. Elder Walker, Elder Paull, and myslef. The first 2 days were hard making the ajustment. But everything is smooth now.
We had a baptism on saturday for Jessica Kear. It was awesome. While she was getting changed, Elder Paull and I taught an amazing lesson. It was the Restoration, but it was probably the best i have ever heard myself do. The Bishop of the ward (who is not my friend) decided he thought he could tell us, the missionaries, what to do for a convert baptism. I wasnt having none of those games. You might think to yourself, "oh crap, he ran his mouth." I didnt. I did tell him nicely though that baptisms were our show and that it was all our decisions. He wanted to make petty things a big deal. Hommie dont play that yo.
On sunday, i was able to confirm Jessica a member of the church. that was an awesome experience for me. Definately intimidating cause there were like 10 people in the circle, one of those was the stake pres. Not what i wanted for my first time.
Things have been going really well for us. Since there are 3 of us, we are covering 2 wards which is double the work load. we are constantly busy. Hope everything is going well. Someone tell Chris i say hi, and he better hit me up with an email and pictures, and remember my birthday is on the 2nd of March! Thats the big 2-0!
Be good
Elder Courtright
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Misioneros de Managua Nicaragua!
Nicaragua Managua Mission Blog
Someone in Andy's mission has made a fun video of the missionaries and has started a mission blog. I think Andy is right at the end of the video and is performing a baptism.
This is the video from the blog.
Someone in Andy's mission has made a fun video of the missionaries and has started a mission blog. I think Andy is right at the end of the video and is performing a baptism.
This is the video from the blog.
Working Hard Brings Growth
From: Andrushka Pearce Dated: January 26th, 2009
Well the week went a little bit sader as it was well forsean to see it go up so high and satin fight to bring the work down. The work still movies along very well here. We have so many investigatores and many chalenges to over come with them. THis week the asistence droped to about 50. Wich is still very well for what it was before. We are very exited to push forward. I realy hope that i dont have changes. The other day we let our investigatores know that its posible that some one could have changes wich motivates them realy well to push with greater zeal for there baptisim. All the investigatores said they want to get baptized but only if we dont have changes. I have a realy good companion he works hard and loves the lord. I have felt realy happy in this area and hope that i can be here as long as i can. The apertunity that i have to grow is very big. As well as the presure is a little bigger. I have found out that the harder one works the more he seas his faults and the more clearly one can see his faults and errors he has a bigger chance to fix them the way the Lord wants. I have come to realize the great potential i have in life but that i have to work realy hard to over come the atumbling blocks in my life. How i love the work of the lord. I also had this week an apertunity to translate and make a call to the United States for a man and they thought i was from Nicaragua and told me my english is very well. I am glad that my English is still very well. We are also teaching English classes twise a week. We have had great experiance with finding some investigatores that have a great potential in blessing this work. This sunday went realy well. My companion gave a talk about the life Of Jesus Christ and i gave a talk about the resteration then we had a very wonderful doctrin class were i had the apertunity to teach about the articles of faith and how to defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint. The class went realy well as they asked questions about the baptisims for the dead and many other wonderful doctrines. Like the patriarcle blessing. At the end of class there were many that wanted there patriarcle blessing and to go to the temple. How i love to see the light of Christ shine in the eyes of members as they come to discover the Church and many blessings that they bring. How i love to make a little change in there lifes and to help guid them in the small way that i can. I have come to realize through my many experiance and fealing the spirit that this is the True Chruch of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Heavenly Father. He loves and cares for us.
I Love you all i will let you know what will hapen at the end of this week. I realy hope that i dont have changes i hope that i can be here 6 months. Loves Elder Pearce
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyYwLlMIcQM
Well the week went a little bit sader as it was well forsean to see it go up so high and satin fight to bring the work down. The work still movies along very well here. We have so many investigatores and many chalenges to over come with them. THis week the asistence droped to about 50. Wich is still very well for what it was before. We are very exited to push forward. I realy hope that i dont have changes. The other day we let our investigatores know that its posible that some one could have changes wich motivates them realy well to push with greater zeal for there baptisim. All the investigatores said they want to get baptized but only if we dont have changes. I have a realy good companion he works hard and loves the lord. I have felt realy happy in this area and hope that i can be here as long as i can. The apertunity that i have to grow is very big. As well as the presure is a little bigger. I have found out that the harder one works the more he seas his faults and the more clearly one can see his faults and errors he has a bigger chance to fix them the way the Lord wants. I have come to realize the great potential i have in life but that i have to work realy hard to over come the atumbling blocks in my life. How i love the work of the lord. I also had this week an apertunity to translate and make a call to the United States for a man and they thought i was from Nicaragua and told me my english is very well. I am glad that my English is still very well. We are also teaching English classes twise a week. We have had great experiance with finding some investigatores that have a great potential in blessing this work. This sunday went realy well. My companion gave a talk about the life Of Jesus Christ and i gave a talk about the resteration then we had a very wonderful doctrin class were i had the apertunity to teach about the articles of faith and how to defend the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint. The class went realy well as they asked questions about the baptisims for the dead and many other wonderful doctrines. Like the patriarcle blessing. At the end of class there were many that wanted there patriarcle blessing and to go to the temple. How i love to see the light of Christ shine in the eyes of members as they come to discover the Church and many blessings that they bring. How i love to make a little change in there lifes and to help guid them in the small way that i can. I have come to realize through my many experiance and fealing the spirit that this is the True Chruch of our Savior Jesus Christ and his Heavenly Father. He loves and cares for us.
I Love you all i will let you know what will hapen at the end of this week. I realy hope that i dont have changes i hope that i can be here 6 months. Loves Elder Pearce
www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyYwLlMIcQM
Fwd: 1-26-09
Here's the latest from Elder Courtright who has some strange ideas about snow and flip-flops. Silly, silly boy.
Enjoy.
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Enjoy.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Subject: 1-26-09
Well, this has been a crazy week as far as weather. Sunday thru thursday was anywhere between 35-65 so i wore short sleves. it felt good. But then on friday a storm kicked in and it hasnt been above 10 since then. We have gotten atleast a good ft of snow in the past 2 days and that makes everything less fun. Infact, this morning i went to the car to get some clothes out of it and i was too lazy to put on shoes. so i threw on my flip-flops and walked out into 8 inches of snow...yum. my feet were so numb by the time i got back inside. I was in it for maybe 45 seconds but i wanted to die.
So for events of the week. Hmm. well, as for last week we had an amazing week. Lots of less actives at church. 3 investigators at church and i didnt get to tell you about it at all cause it was MLK day. Lame. who is he? Not anyone important to Cheyenne. But this week wasnt as great. Infact, this was definately the worst week in the area since we got here. But, we have a pretty amazing baptism scheduled for the 7th of Febuary. I am pretty stoked for it. Her name is Jessica Kear and she is super solid.
We also have another guy (both of these people, Jessica and Mark, are on the military base) Mark who has a baptismal date in the super future. last monday we had a family home evening with him at the Elders Quorum presidents house and this monday we have another FHE with him at another super cool members house. we are super stoked for that too!
Then to top it all off, there is a guy on base, Garrett Bollington, who we havent met yet but is great friends with a member who has read the BoM, prayed about it, read tons of P My G, several conference talks from last conference, and knows the church is true. He would baptize himself if he could. However his wife grew up in a very anti-LDS home. Like she hates the church but its all based on hearsay and things like that. She doesnt actually know anything. Hopefully we will meet Garrett soon.
Well, all is well. Hope it is the same for yall. Keep me updated on Chris! i am excited to hear from him ;)
Also, its cold, tell it to stop that.
love.
--Elder Courtright
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Jan 26, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Subject: 1-26-09
Well, this has been a crazy week as far as weather. Sunday thru thursday was anywhere between 35-65 so i wore short sleves. it felt good. But then on friday a storm kicked in and it hasnt been above 10 since then. We have gotten atleast a good ft of snow in the past 2 days and that makes everything less fun. Infact, this morning i went to the car to get some clothes out of it and i was too lazy to put on shoes. so i threw on my flip-flops and walked out into 8 inches of snow...yum. my feet were so numb by the time i got back inside. I was in it for maybe 45 seconds but i wanted to die.
So for events of the week. Hmm. well, as for last week we had an amazing week. Lots of less actives at church. 3 investigators at church and i didnt get to tell you about it at all cause it was MLK day. Lame. who is he? Not anyone important to Cheyenne. But this week wasnt as great. Infact, this was definately the worst week in the area since we got here. But, we have a pretty amazing baptism scheduled for the 7th of Febuary. I am pretty stoked for it. Her name is Jessica Kear and she is super solid.
We also have another guy (both of these people, Jessica and Mark, are on the military base) Mark who has a baptismal date in the super future. last monday we had a family home evening with him at the Elders Quorum presidents house and this monday we have another FHE with him at another super cool members house. we are super stoked for that too!
Then to top it all off, there is a guy on base, Garrett Bollington, who we havent met yet but is great friends with a member who has read the BoM, prayed about it, read tons of P My G, several conference talks from last conference, and knows the church is true. He would baptize himself if he could. However his wife grew up in a very anti-LDS home. Like she hates the church but its all based on hearsay and things like that. She doesnt actually know anything. Hopefully we will meet Garrett soon.
Well, all is well. Hope it is the same for yall. Keep me updated on Chris! i am excited to hear from him ;)
Also, its cold, tell it to stop that.
love.
--Elder Courtright
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Monday, January 19, 2009
Miracles in Mateares
From Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: January 19th 2009
Dear Family
The work just moves along as the members of mateares set History this week. I wish i could explain the spirit that runs through my body as it testifys to me that this is his work and how blessed i am to be here to witnes this little town write their history of the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Well this week started out as last week we envited President Fraatz to the meating. We wernt to sure if he was coming the members got the word out that he might be coming and set it in there minds that yes he was coming.
Wendsday we had the zone leader call him. He came back telling us that he wont be able to come because he has a meating with the 70ty. As i got back thinking to my self we cant let it just go like that. He has taught all out mission if you want to do something find a ways to do it and dont take no for an awnser. I ask the permision from the leaders and gave him a call. As he awnserd he told me he wouldent be able that he will send his first counsler. Thinking before i asked him what time the meating would be done he told me 3 i asked if we could have the sacrament meating at 5 and he told me yes.
We jumped the first part getting president come to our meating its 50 minutes or so from the city. Then we went to work cleaning and dacorating the place and pouting pictures up it looked very good organized and evrything the house. Then we got all the members informed and let them know that they could write the history of the church. The week went by realy fast as we were getting ready for the president and inviting all we could to the meating pouting plans together how are we going to reach our goal of 80 poeple at church.
We also had a baptizim this week that was a 22 year old reporter of mateares that has gone to church 19 times but never has goten baptized we found him and started talking. He told us the reason he hasent got baptized is that its always saturday and he is realy hard to find this day. I let him know that what ever day he wanted we could baptized. we invited him to be baptized tomarow and he accepted. We got the members ready in the morning sunday they were all exited that he was finaly getting baptized. We got up in the morning and he wasent there. He had a call and raised of to work. So then we started to looke for him. We got to a members house and there boy told us that there was an acident in the road so we raised of knowing he would be there to film it. We got there and wasent there so we left the members in charge to find him and give us a call. As we had to move with all energy if we wanted to reach our goal this week.
We went and found some of the members that we have never taught or new they were members of the church. They told us they would be reay to go to church at 5. The classes started at three and pres comes at 5 also the houre of the sacrament meating. They found him called us we got there raise of to the church of the zone leaders and baptized him. How i love this work and love over coming what comes in the way. The members are amazing here how i love them and hope i wont be changed from this area. Coming back we called evryone for a meating explaining and we gave a talk how this day is very importent for mateares and how it will change the lives of there kids and make all the difrence how they work together 27 of the members went to work inviting there family friends and all they could. They went of from that meating realy exited to go find all and reach the goal that we may have a chapel here in mateares.
We started the church i gave a class on 10 comandements we had about 70 before 4:00 then we went out to invite more investigatores my comp stayed as we did devisions with the priests i went out to make sure that all are coming. As i was gone president and his wife came and all there children. Also our branch president came from nagarote. As i was walking in the streats the poeple were walking for the church. What a site it was to se so many poeple in the church as i got back it was filled poeple were seated on the stairs and in evry part there were poeple in the back revrently waiting for the president and his wife to speak. 113 or more poeple came some didnt make it all the way trough for there kids were sick or screaming. The meating was full. It truly was history in mateares as 113 poeple came to church in a small town of mateares.
President loved it and made some great coments thanked us for our work and told us we need to find a map as soon as posible and that we will be making this unity a branch as soon as posible. It truly was the greatest experiance to work with the members as the meating got done all the members went and president stayed back a little talking with us. Lovly family they are i had a great time sitting on the stand with president it was a great honer for me. the work here moves along they have also just made plans to make here a district with other parts close by.
I am so glad to be here working and that i am growing. It trys my faith to work and be so tired but i love the lord and give all i have to him. How i am thankfull for all that the lord has given me in my life. I love this work. I love you all and hope that all is well.
Happy birthday tomi 30. It has bin 30 years filled with great example for all of us. Love you and hope and pray that your family will keep as great as they are doing. I love you all and let me know whats going on. i cant belive that i will be compliting 17 months on my mission it has gone by so fast and i am thankfull for the next 8 months that i have to give it all i have.
Dear Family
The work just moves along as the members of mateares set History this week. I wish i could explain the spirit that runs through my body as it testifys to me that this is his work and how blessed i am to be here to witnes this little town write their history of the church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. Well this week started out as last week we envited President Fraatz to the meating. We wernt to sure if he was coming the members got the word out that he might be coming and set it in there minds that yes he was coming.
Wendsday we had the zone leader call him. He came back telling us that he wont be able to come because he has a meating with the 70ty. As i got back thinking to my self we cant let it just go like that. He has taught all out mission if you want to do something find a ways to do it and dont take no for an awnser. I ask the permision from the leaders and gave him a call. As he awnserd he told me he wouldent be able that he will send his first counsler. Thinking before i asked him what time the meating would be done he told me 3 i asked if we could have the sacrament meating at 5 and he told me yes.
We jumped the first part getting president come to our meating its 50 minutes or so from the city. Then we went to work cleaning and dacorating the place and pouting pictures up it looked very good organized and evrything the house. Then we got all the members informed and let them know that they could write the history of the church. The week went by realy fast as we were getting ready for the president and inviting all we could to the meating pouting plans together how are we going to reach our goal of 80 poeple at church.
We also had a baptizim this week that was a 22 year old reporter of mateares that has gone to church 19 times but never has goten baptized we found him and started talking. He told us the reason he hasent got baptized is that its always saturday and he is realy hard to find this day. I let him know that what ever day he wanted we could baptized. we invited him to be baptized tomarow and he accepted. We got the members ready in the morning sunday they were all exited that he was finaly getting baptized. We got up in the morning and he wasent there. He had a call and raised of to work. So then we started to looke for him. We got to a members house and there boy told us that there was an acident in the road so we raised of knowing he would be there to film it. We got there and wasent there so we left the members in charge to find him and give us a call. As we had to move with all energy if we wanted to reach our goal this week.
We went and found some of the members that we have never taught or new they were members of the church. They told us they would be reay to go to church at 5. The classes started at three and pres comes at 5 also the houre of the sacrament meating. They found him called us we got there raise of to the church of the zone leaders and baptized him. How i love this work and love over coming what comes in the way. The members are amazing here how i love them and hope i wont be changed from this area. Coming back we called evryone for a meating explaining and we gave a talk how this day is very importent for mateares and how it will change the lives of there kids and make all the difrence how they work together 27 of the members went to work inviting there family friends and all they could. They went of from that meating realy exited to go find all and reach the goal that we may have a chapel here in mateares.
We started the church i gave a class on 10 comandements we had about 70 before 4:00 then we went out to invite more investigatores my comp stayed as we did devisions with the priests i went out to make sure that all are coming. As i was gone president and his wife came and all there children. Also our branch president came from nagarote. As i was walking in the streats the poeple were walking for the church. What a site it was to se so many poeple in the church as i got back it was filled poeple were seated on the stairs and in evry part there were poeple in the back revrently waiting for the president and his wife to speak. 113 or more poeple came some didnt make it all the way trough for there kids were sick or screaming. The meating was full. It truly was history in mateares as 113 poeple came to church in a small town of mateares.
President loved it and made some great coments thanked us for our work and told us we need to find a map as soon as posible and that we will be making this unity a branch as soon as posible. It truly was the greatest experiance to work with the members as the meating got done all the members went and president stayed back a little talking with us. Lovly family they are i had a great time sitting on the stand with president it was a great honer for me. the work here moves along they have also just made plans to make here a district with other parts close by.
I am so glad to be here working and that i am growing. It trys my faith to work and be so tired but i love the lord and give all i have to him. How i am thankfull for all that the lord has given me in my life. I love this work. I love you all and hope that all is well.
Happy birthday tomi 30. It has bin 30 years filled with great example for all of us. Love you and hope and pray that your family will keep as great as they are doing. I love you all and let me know whats going on. i cant belive that i will be compliting 17 months on my mission it has gone by so fast and i am thankfull for the next 8 months that i have to give it all i have.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Work Hard, Then Work Harder
From: Elder Andrey Pearce Dated: January 12th 2008
Dear Family
Well the President has told us in confrence that we are only to write to
family not extended only to our family. Its a huge change on the mission but
we all are going to grow and recive blessings from obeying it.
What a week it went. We started with the confrance. The president was very
exited that the little unity of Mateares is showing up as a branch. I hope
it becomes a branch realy quickly. He made the coment and asked us how are
we reaching the outcome we are. I think the key is the members here in
mateares.
You will see how tired this week they were and how we kept on
pushing. How the Lord loves us in our eforts to push forward. I have bin
also tried more to push foraward. We got back from confrence and let all
know that the President was very happy about the work. He asked us to get a
map Of mateare and the list of all the members that are gowing. We also
recived a notice that we are going to get more books and suplys to help the
work along.
We in turne invited President Fraatz to the meating this sunday
its going to be a great meating and the members are realy exited to get the
goal to reach 80 asistence. They are Inviting all to church and they dont
just invite they keep asking tell you tell them you are going to go. Then
that isent all they falow up and go to there house to invite them to go to
church and walk with them.
I also had the apertunity to go work in Nagarote
this week witch is 45 min away. It was great to get to know that area and
the missionarys. Also pass some time with the branch president of mateares
and nagarote he told me his life story and the great times he has had
serving the lord and the apertunity he has had getting to know some of the
general authoritys. What a great man he is. Presidente Antonio he is one of
the elderly branch presidents in NIcaragua.
Then coming home we had some activitys. ALso this week we had a baptizim
that a yung man that has dificultys in his life is trying to change his life and
coming Crist.
I love this work to see the Hand of The Lord work and bring to
pass his imortality. It moves with his servents as they go to work. Then sunday
we got up at 5 to get ready to go out to looke for our team that goes out inviting all to
church and animating. To our surprise Ronald that hasent bin partisipating
that much was there exactly at 6:00. We went out got our team full of spirit
and went to work this week went alot difrent as the people were tired.
As we got to there doors they said no. A sister we got to the door we knocked and
knocked and she didnt awsner we stayed there knocking for 30 min nothing.
Her family is one of the bigest family that are members. Then we went on
inviting our investigatores we got back and her door was open. We called she
answered and told us that she was not going to church we let here know that
the Lord would love nothing more then if she and her family went to church.
The lord touched her hart as she got the family ready. It realy tride me to
stand and to keep going back that they would go to church.
We had the asistence of 36 witch was kindof sad but that is not the last part. We only
had sacrament by the pleading of our branch president. Then we had
confrince. As we got done with church a thought came to my mind we can not
leave like this asistence this week. We got the group ready and gave a
little talk and send them out to envite all we can to go to confrince that
is 45 mintues away. We had a bus come from Nagarote. Well we went to work as
we with faith walked the streets inviting all we could sending them out to
the curch and keeping on walking.
As i got back to my surprise the whole outside was field with people how over whelmed my hart was. The branch Presindet came with 24 in the but as 66 from Mateares filled the bus to
travel the distence to see the stake president to counsel them. The spirit
was filled. Another great thing hapend is that we talked and helped the bus
driver and his friend to also enter the confrince you never know if in some
feature that they will have a desire to join the church Of our Savior Jesus
Christ.
HOw i wish i was stronger to help this work go farther. I feal like
i am on the front row of the battle and that it is trying me. How i wish
that i was stronger that i was more capble to serve the Lord my God. How i
love this work. I know that he will bless me for my work. I hope to give all
i have in this last part of my mission that i have. I love the Savior and
know that He Lives.
Elder Pearce oh there is another mericle as a member that has some dificultise serving
because of his work resinde to go to confrince and to help the work along he
has 24 years and he just made the coment he would like to serve a mission i
cant belive all that is happening in this little area. We will do all we
can. Pray for us to reach the goal that we have set for this week.
Dear Family
Well the President has told us in confrence that we are only to write to
family not extended only to our family. Its a huge change on the mission but
we all are going to grow and recive blessings from obeying it.
What a week it went. We started with the confrance. The president was very
exited that the little unity of Mateares is showing up as a branch. I hope
it becomes a branch realy quickly. He made the coment and asked us how are
we reaching the outcome we are. I think the key is the members here in
mateares.
You will see how tired this week they were and how we kept on
pushing. How the Lord loves us in our eforts to push forward. I have bin
also tried more to push foraward. We got back from confrence and let all
know that the President was very happy about the work. He asked us to get a
map Of mateare and the list of all the members that are gowing. We also
recived a notice that we are going to get more books and suplys to help the
work along.
We in turne invited President Fraatz to the meating this sunday
its going to be a great meating and the members are realy exited to get the
goal to reach 80 asistence. They are Inviting all to church and they dont
just invite they keep asking tell you tell them you are going to go. Then
that isent all they falow up and go to there house to invite them to go to
church and walk with them.
I also had the apertunity to go work in Nagarote
this week witch is 45 min away. It was great to get to know that area and
the missionarys. Also pass some time with the branch president of mateares
and nagarote he told me his life story and the great times he has had
serving the lord and the apertunity he has had getting to know some of the
general authoritys. What a great man he is. Presidente Antonio he is one of
the elderly branch presidents in NIcaragua.
Then coming home we had some activitys. ALso this week we had a baptizim
that a yung man that has dificultys in his life is trying to change his life and
coming Crist.
I love this work to see the Hand of The Lord work and bring to
pass his imortality. It moves with his servents as they go to work. Then sunday
we got up at 5 to get ready to go out to looke for our team that goes out inviting all to
church and animating. To our surprise Ronald that hasent bin partisipating
that much was there exactly at 6:00. We went out got our team full of spirit
and went to work this week went alot difrent as the people were tired.
As we got to there doors they said no. A sister we got to the door we knocked and
knocked and she didnt awsner we stayed there knocking for 30 min nothing.
Her family is one of the bigest family that are members. Then we went on
inviting our investigatores we got back and her door was open. We called she
answered and told us that she was not going to church we let here know that
the Lord would love nothing more then if she and her family went to church.
The lord touched her hart as she got the family ready. It realy tride me to
stand and to keep going back that they would go to church.
We had the asistence of 36 witch was kindof sad but that is not the last part. We only
had sacrament by the pleading of our branch president. Then we had
confrince. As we got done with church a thought came to my mind we can not
leave like this asistence this week. We got the group ready and gave a
little talk and send them out to envite all we can to go to confrince that
is 45 mintues away. We had a bus come from Nagarote. Well we went to work as
we with faith walked the streets inviting all we could sending them out to
the curch and keeping on walking.
As i got back to my surprise the whole outside was field with people how over whelmed my hart was. The branch Presindet came with 24 in the but as 66 from Mateares filled the bus to
travel the distence to see the stake president to counsel them. The spirit
was filled. Another great thing hapend is that we talked and helped the bus
driver and his friend to also enter the confrince you never know if in some
feature that they will have a desire to join the church Of our Savior Jesus
Christ.
HOw i wish i was stronger to help this work go farther. I feal like
i am on the front row of the battle and that it is trying me. How i wish
that i was stronger that i was more capble to serve the Lord my God. How i
love this work. I know that he will bless me for my work. I hope to give all
i have in this last part of my mission that i have. I love the Savior and
know that He Lives.
Elder Pearce oh there is another mericle as a member that has some dificultise serving
because of his work resinde to go to confrince and to help the work along he
has 24 years and he just made the coment he would like to serve a mission i
cant belive all that is happening in this little area. We will do all we
can. Pray for us to reach the goal that we have set for this week.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Fwd: 1/11/09
Here's the latest from Elder Courtright.
Enjoy.
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Enjoy.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Subject: 1/11/09
Wow what a week! on monday we set a guy for baptism..in july! a date is better than no date though. On wednesday i got to go on exchanges into my old area which was really fun. we saw some of the less actives and investigators that i had helped teach. We also went to see some of my favorite members. We committed one of the members to not have another stroke. (he had a stroke 2 days before but it wasnt bad) He laughed and agreed.
Then on friday we helped one of our investigators, Jim and Karen Vance, take down their 12 foot tree. and then had cobbler and a really good lesson with them. It was amazing berry cobbler. and Jim finally opened up a little. he is very masculine and doesnt like to admit when he is upset. but he said that when the missionaries come they only teach Karen, they gave Karen a BoM, they bring her DVDs, etc. Well, its probably true, Karen is definately the more spiritual one and looks forward to the lessons when jim only wants to joke around. But we gave him a Bible and he loved it. he told Karen that his was "better than hers." it was really funny to watch them debate that subject. Karen came to church on sunday which was awesome because elder walker and i were speaking. Elder walker is...monotonous, but outside of that he had a great talk. and then i gave my talk, and used an Obama quote in wyoming (best part), and talked about karen and jim and one other investigator, jessica kear, who was at church. I had karen crying in seconds. she only stayed for sacrament meeting cause she had to go see her mom in an retirement home but she told many of the members that she would be back next week. we are so pumped for her. coming to church i think was the last big hurdle for her!
Did i mention that i quoted Barack Obama, in Wyoming, in sacrament meeting, from the pulpit? not many people got the huevos mas grandes for that.
today is gonna be a good day. we are gonna eat dinner with a Col. in the military. He's important. I can name drop him :)
every morning elder walker and i go running for 2 reasons.
1) elder walker is fat
2) i cant breathe the air so i am working on trying to breathe
but today we couldnt because there was a good 4-6 inches of snow on the ground and i wasnt about to run through that. we might have to put running on the shelf because the snow doesnt melt. it hasnt snowed since december and there were still patches of snow. we had many 40 + days so it should have melted, but logic doesnt work in wyomin'. Why you ask? cause its wyomin'!
Well, be good all. Look forward to hearing from you.
--Elder Courtright
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Jan 12, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Subject: 1/11/09
Wow what a week! on monday we set a guy for baptism..in july! a date is better than no date though. On wednesday i got to go on exchanges into my old area which was really fun. we saw some of the less actives and investigators that i had helped teach. We also went to see some of my favorite members. We committed one of the members to not have another stroke. (he had a stroke 2 days before but it wasnt bad) He laughed and agreed.
Then on friday we helped one of our investigators, Jim and Karen Vance, take down their 12 foot tree. and then had cobbler and a really good lesson with them. It was amazing berry cobbler. and Jim finally opened up a little. he is very masculine and doesnt like to admit when he is upset. but he said that when the missionaries come they only teach Karen, they gave Karen a BoM, they bring her DVDs, etc. Well, its probably true, Karen is definately the more spiritual one and looks forward to the lessons when jim only wants to joke around. But we gave him a Bible and he loved it. he told Karen that his was "better than hers." it was really funny to watch them debate that subject. Karen came to church on sunday which was awesome because elder walker and i were speaking. Elder walker is...monotonous, but outside of that he had a great talk. and then i gave my talk, and used an Obama quote in wyoming (best part), and talked about karen and jim and one other investigator, jessica kear, who was at church. I had karen crying in seconds. she only stayed for sacrament meeting cause she had to go see her mom in an retirement home but she told many of the members that she would be back next week. we are so pumped for her. coming to church i think was the last big hurdle for her!
Did i mention that i quoted Barack Obama, in Wyoming, in sacrament meeting, from the pulpit? not many people got the huevos mas grandes for that.
today is gonna be a good day. we are gonna eat dinner with a Col. in the military. He's important. I can name drop him :)
every morning elder walker and i go running for 2 reasons.
1) elder walker is fat
2) i cant breathe the air so i am working on trying to breathe
but today we couldnt because there was a good 4-6 inches of snow on the ground and i wasnt about to run through that. we might have to put running on the shelf because the snow doesnt melt. it hasnt snowed since december and there were still patches of snow. we had many 40 + days so it should have melted, but logic doesnt work in wyomin'. Why you ask? cause its wyomin'!
Well, be good all. Look forward to hearing from you.
--Elder Courtright
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Miracle Growth!
From: Elder Andrushka Dated: January 6th, 2008
Dear family i am so thank full for you all.
I am thankfull for all that i have to serve. This week we had a new years eve party with all the members. We had talents then we ate food and did a piñanta for kids and a game for people that are older. It went very well. The members are very animated in this area. We talked about our goals and what we want to reach as a ward. They Were realy exited and full of energy to help us out. The mericle continous this week the members got up at 4:00 in the morning some of them to come to sing to my companion because it was his birthday. As they got to the house they were thinking we were a sleep and started to throw things at our window as we watched them pass us by. Because we wake up and go shower away from the house because there isnt any shower in the house. So we walked up behind them they just looked at us and didnt know who it was and kept on singing. Then they all turned around with a little suprise to see us watching them singing. IT went realy well. Then we all went out in the streets enviting all to church. The member worked realy hard. One sister went asking forgivnes of members that she had done. It realy touched my hart to see this sister to take the advice that we left with her. With all the work of the members we hace reached the goal of our president of the mission. 62 as we all went out side to take the picture. We had to bless the sacrament twise and sit poeple down on the stairs. We have 40 seats and 62 came to church. The members were over welmed to see us reach this goal. i know its a mericle of god that this little unit is growing so fast. This week i had a chance to interview 2 prists and a deacon as his dad confirmed him deacon. His last son. This father is a potential to become a stake president we all make coments that he will be the branch president and always encouredg to read his scriptures the mission presidnet left a triple with him. SO hi could study. I had a great talk with him as we drove to talk to the branch president that lives 45 minutes away. we had a great talk and he signed the ordination that we did. I have bin a little overwhelmed with all the work. We have 17 investigatores that have gone to church so we are seing how we are going to organize it all to get going. Almost each day of the week we have a meating of some kind. I have learnd that working with members and helping them grow has bin the sweatest experiance of my mission. The members are the key of the mission work as they get going the work starts to have mericles. In a meating that we had one of the sisters told us that the jehova wtneses just purchased land to start building there church. That motivated them to help the church of our savior to be part of this work. This week we got to know the area and its big we have bery touched the area to the mission work. They have a realy big potential. I love the work i love the lord. I am growing so fast. I feal realy overwhelmed with the love of my heavenly father with the great apertunity he has given me. He has confidence in me that i will do his work. I love you all. COngrates mom on setting goals and starting to reach them. Well Dad as always is getting so much done. Let Emily know i love her i will be praying for her. Elder PEarce
Dear family i am so thank full for you all.
I am thankfull for all that i have to serve. This week we had a new years eve party with all the members. We had talents then we ate food and did a piñanta for kids and a game for people that are older. It went very well. The members are very animated in this area. We talked about our goals and what we want to reach as a ward. They Were realy exited and full of energy to help us out. The mericle continous this week the members got up at 4:00 in the morning some of them to come to sing to my companion because it was his birthday. As they got to the house they were thinking we were a sleep and started to throw things at our window as we watched them pass us by. Because we wake up and go shower away from the house because there isnt any shower in the house. So we walked up behind them they just looked at us and didnt know who it was and kept on singing. Then they all turned around with a little suprise to see us watching them singing. IT went realy well. Then we all went out in the streets enviting all to church. The member worked realy hard. One sister went asking forgivnes of members that she had done. It realy touched my hart to see this sister to take the advice that we left with her. With all the work of the members we hace reached the goal of our president of the mission. 62 as we all went out side to take the picture. We had to bless the sacrament twise and sit poeple down on the stairs. We have 40 seats and 62 came to church. The members were over welmed to see us reach this goal. i know its a mericle of god that this little unit is growing so fast. This week i had a chance to interview 2 prists and a deacon as his dad confirmed him deacon. His last son. This father is a potential to become a stake president we all make coments that he will be the branch president and always encouredg to read his scriptures the mission presidnet left a triple with him. SO hi could study. I had a great talk with him as we drove to talk to the branch president that lives 45 minutes away. we had a great talk and he signed the ordination that we did. I have bin a little overwhelmed with all the work. We have 17 investigatores that have gone to church so we are seing how we are going to organize it all to get going. Almost each day of the week we have a meating of some kind. I have learnd that working with members and helping them grow has bin the sweatest experiance of my mission. The members are the key of the mission work as they get going the work starts to have mericles. In a meating that we had one of the sisters told us that the jehova wtneses just purchased land to start building there church. That motivated them to help the church of our savior to be part of this work. This week we got to know the area and its big we have bery touched the area to the mission work. They have a realy big potential. I love the work i love the lord. I am growing so fast. I feal realy overwhelmed with the love of my heavenly father with the great apertunity he has given me. He has confidence in me that i will do his work. I love you all. COngrates mom on setting goals and starting to reach them. Well Dad as always is getting so much done. Let Emily know i love her i will be praying for her. Elder PEarce
Monday, January 5, 2009
Fwd: 1/5/09
The latest from Elder Courtright.
Enjoy.
HOLY NEW YEAR!!
This was an awesome week as far as spiritual experiences go. i dont have any funny or weird things happen but still a great week.
We spent the week preparing for Matt Fowles's baptism. he is a 10 year old kid with an amazing spirit. i love him. We talked with alot of people on the days before it and many of them came. Half of his primary class came and that was really good. we also had a less active guy and his family and a lady who is an excommunicated member and her daughter there. they are all amazing people who are trying to put their lives back together. The baptism itself was amazing. Matt is one of the smartest kids when it comes to his knowledge of the gospel.
Sunday we also had a great day. The Bishop in the ward is sorta unwilling to work with us for some reason. We dont know why but we have been doing everything we can to make him see that we are working hard. Sunday was a great day in that reguard. There was a lady who bore her testimony and talked about Matt. Her son told her "Mom, i know he reads the scriptures" because of how smart he is. Then she talked about the +1 lessons we are doing with the ward where we teach a short spiritual thought and then set missionary goals with them. She talked about how she didnt really have any friends outside the church but that this program is really helping her meet new people and such. It was awesome! it was just the boost we needed cause that was where the Bishop was most stand off with us. He didnt want to have any part in missionary work but i think that it will be a real eye opener for him when he sees how well the program works. We then had several other "important" people talk about how we had blessed their families. it was awesome!
Earlier in the week we had a member ask us if we could help a lady move into a trailer down the street from his. We did and spent a rediculous about of time doing it. it took almost all day but it was well worth it. The lady said that once she is more settled she will have more time to talk with us. Bro. Jones, who is the one who lives down the street, will be keeping contact with her and will let us know when she is ready. we are excited
Overall everything is going well. I figured out recently (like a month ago) that the sun in Cheyenne is broken. Literally it has no effect on the weather here. Earlier in the week it hit a high of 50 for several days and it was sunny and cloudy. However yesterday it hit a high of 12 and that was after the sun went down. Yesterday it was also very bright which just increases my knowledge that the sun is broken. Grr!
Well, if there is anything that you guys need let me know.
Hannahs -- i am super excited about your letters, i patiently await them. i can only be patient for so long though...so make it quick. jk!
Leila -- i love your letters ;)
Enjoy.
HOLY NEW YEAR!!
This was an awesome week as far as spiritual experiences go. i dont have any funny or weird things happen but still a great week.
We spent the week preparing for Matt Fowles's baptism. he is a 10 year old kid with an amazing spirit. i love him. We talked with alot of people on the days before it and many of them came. Half of his primary class came and that was really good. we also had a less active guy and his family and a lady who is an excommunicated member and her daughter there. they are all amazing people who are trying to put their lives back together. The baptism itself was amazing. Matt is one of the smartest kids when it comes to his knowledge of the gospel.
Sunday we also had a great day. The Bishop in the ward is sorta unwilling to work with us for some reason. We dont know why but we have been doing everything we can to make him see that we are working hard. Sunday was a great day in that reguard. There was a lady who bore her testimony and talked about Matt. Her son told her "Mom, i know he reads the scriptures" because of how smart he is. Then she talked about the +1 lessons we are doing with the ward where we teach a short spiritual thought and then set missionary goals with them. She talked about how she didnt really have any friends outside the church but that this program is really helping her meet new people and such. It was awesome! it was just the boost we needed cause that was where the Bishop was most stand off with us. He didnt want to have any part in missionary work but i think that it will be a real eye opener for him when he sees how well the program works. We then had several other "important" people talk about how we had blessed their families. it was awesome!
Earlier in the week we had a member ask us if we could help a lady move into a trailer down the street from his. We did and spent a rediculous about of time doing it. it took almost all day but it was well worth it. The lady said that once she is more settled she will have more time to talk with us. Bro. Jones, who is the one who lives down the street, will be keeping contact with her and will let us know when she is ready. we are excited
Overall everything is going well. I figured out recently (like a month ago) that the sun in Cheyenne is broken. Literally it has no effect on the weather here. Earlier in the week it hit a high of 50 for several days and it was sunny and cloudy. However yesterday it hit a high of 12 and that was after the sun went down. Yesterday it was also very bright which just increases my knowledge that the sun is broken. Grr!
Well, if there is anything that you guys need let me know.
Hannahs -- i am super excited about your letters, i patiently await them. i can only be patient for so long though...so make it quick. jk!
Leila -- i love your letters ;)
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
doing a dance...all over cheyenne!
hey all!
well just wanted to say thanks to all those who sent me something for Christmas and a thanks to anyone who thought about me. just a couple important people to mention
Doug and Ary (quick story with this one): so on new years eve i gave my last 4 starbursts to a member who is semi active and whos son is getting baptized on saturday. it was a joke/promise kinda thing. anyways, i was blessed for keeping my promise with 2 massive packages of starbursts. that was awesome. oh and a picture of a married couple. as a reminder that i am not? ..thanks jk!
Sister Ricker: for keeping me humble. i love you!
Hannah: for sending an email. made my day :)
and like i said earlier thanks to anyone who is sending or sent or thought about me. i really do appreciate it.
So things that happened that were cool:
Well, we talked with a family, the Nations, who are less to semi active in the church. we shared a quick spiritual thought with them and were about to leave. Brother Nation had been silent all night, as if he didnt really want us there. As we were leaving he just opened his mouth. He told us a story about how at the end of his mission he got sent to an area that had been closed (without missionaries) for over a year and a half. he really didnt want to go but he was determined to finish his mission working. The branch in his area had only a couple active members who really werent solid themselves. and no investigators. they decided to start strengthening those members. as they did, they got investigators. after 3 1/2 months of hard work, the night before he went home, they had 7 baptisms. he then shared his testimony. it was an amazing experience. too bad he is too lazy to come to church. we have decided to reverse the situation. he has become one of those members who arent very solid and just needs strengthening. it was like he was telling us, verbally, exactly what his needs are.
There is a former investigator who lives in a trailer park on the south side of cheyenne. we drove past the other day and noticed that her pipes had burst. well being winter the water froze. her entire driveway and all down her street was one massive block of ice. well we spent an hour in 20 degree weather with the wind blowing 30 plus miles an hour wind, chipping at ice, with no gloves. it sucked but very rewarding. we have an appointment with her on tuesday.
May favorite moment:
We have a list of people who at sometime talked with missionaries in the area. one of those names is Ruby and James (i forgot their last name.) we knocked on their door cause we had nothing better to do and their son came walking out of the garage as we knocked. we went over and talked with him. oh, important note, he is black. he told us his name was dennis and that his parents were in texas. everytime i hear the word texas my ears get excited. i told him i was from texas and asked what part. he told me abilene (lame) but i told him i was from houston. the following is a direct quote from 1 of 3 black men in cheyenne. "well, we can be hommies then!" you have never seen a more excited me, ever. thats all i could think about for like a day. not because i havent heard that before, but cheyenne is lacking in diversity and all diverse interactions make me happy.
well, we had an amazing christmas as far as teaching goes. we had are most amount of lessons in a week, this week with 33. which doesnt sound like alot, but is. i hope all are doing well, be good and remember, Santa's watching :)
--Elder Courtright
well just wanted to say thanks to all those who sent me something for Christmas and a thanks to anyone who thought about me. just a couple important people to mention
Doug and Ary (quick story with this one): so on new years eve i gave my last 4 starbursts to a member who is semi active and whos son is getting baptized on saturday. it was a joke/promise kinda thing. anyways, i was blessed for keeping my promise with 2 massive packages of starbursts. that was awesome. oh and a picture of a married couple. as a reminder that i am not? ..thanks jk!
Sister Ricker: for keeping me humble. i love you!
Hannah: for sending an email. made my day :)
and like i said earlier thanks to anyone who is sending or sent or thought about me. i really do appreciate it.
So things that happened that were cool:
Well, we talked with a family, the Nations, who are less to semi active in the church. we shared a quick spiritual thought with them and were about to leave. Brother Nation had been silent all night, as if he didnt really want us there. As we were leaving he just opened his mouth. He told us a story about how at the end of his mission he got sent to an area that had been closed (without missionaries) for over a year and a half. he really didnt want to go but he was determined to finish his mission working. The branch in his area had only a couple active members who really werent solid themselves. and no investigators. they decided to start strengthening those members. as they did, they got investigators. after 3 1/2 months of hard work, the night before he went home, they had 7 baptisms. he then shared his testimony. it was an amazing experience. too bad he is too lazy to come to church. we have decided to reverse the situation. he has become one of those members who arent very solid and just needs strengthening. it was like he was telling us, verbally, exactly what his needs are.
There is a former investigator who lives in a trailer park on the south side of cheyenne. we drove past the other day and noticed that her pipes had burst. well being winter the water froze. her entire driveway and all down her street was one massive block of ice. well we spent an hour in 20 degree weather with the wind blowing 30 plus miles an hour wind, chipping at ice, with no gloves. it sucked but very rewarding. we have an appointment with her on tuesday.
May favorite moment:
We have a list of people who at sometime talked with missionaries in the area. one of those names is Ruby and James (i forgot their last name.) we knocked on their door cause we had nothing better to do and their son came walking out of the garage as we knocked. we went over and talked with him. oh, important note, he is black. he told us his name was dennis and that his parents were in texas. everytime i hear the word texas my ears get excited. i told him i was from texas and asked what part. he told me abilene (lame) but i told him i was from houston. the following is a direct quote from 1 of 3 black men in cheyenne. "well, we can be hommies then!" you have never seen a more excited me, ever. thats all i could think about for like a day. not because i havent heard that before, but cheyenne is lacking in diversity and all diverse interactions make me happy.
well, we had an amazing christmas as far as teaching goes. we had are most amount of lessons in a week, this week with 33. which doesnt sound like alot, but is. i hope all are doing well, be good and remember, Santa's watching :)
--Elder Courtright
--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
From: Elder Andrey Pearce Dated: December 29, 2008
Dear Family
i am so thankful that i got a great while to talk to my family. It was a great experiance trying to remember English. Wean i got going i could remeber it just fine.
It sounds like all is well and evryone is groing. I cant belive how much has changed.
Well the lord blessed us trumendously this week. THe members had a little welcome party for us. WEll sharing testimony and thanking that we were there to work harder. It Gave me a desire to work harder and give all that i have. THe members told us we came in like a huracane and started to pout things together. THe lord has had his mericle waiting for this little town of Mateares. Before we came it was falling apart and the members were scared that it was going to fall all apart. THe asistence (attendance) at church was going down it came down to 14. As we got there we changed the room how it looked pout some pictures up of christ cleande all the rooms well. Organized our gospel library called a librarian and went to work to make all looke well. Last week the asistence (attendance) went up to 31. THis week we got up as usual 5:00 in the morning to get to work walking our missionary team (or the members that help us out) we left to envite all we could to church. The members of Mateares set a record of 52 people coming to church. WE didnt have inof seats to sit down. I had the lovely time prisiding and anouncing the meating. It went realy well we had a lovely spirit. We had talks about reading scriptures, Praying and going to church. My companion gave a talk about seting goals as we finished the last song. YOU could feal and hear the spirit and the change in the way that the last hymn was song. 10 of the poeple that came to church were envestigating the church so we have alot of work to do. The lord has given me a great apertunity to grow and stretch. Then we split for clases. My companion taught the yung men and i gave the gospel doctrin class. I gave about the plan of salvation. It went very well we had great questions and i had the chance of explaning well that we can become Gods. Its a subject a little harder to explain Here to members and invetstigatores. The spirit was present and they captured it well. The secratary from Nagarote came to see how all is going. Gave us the great news that the Branch President will be coming next week. I had apertunity to give a interview for a yung man to recive the rank of a priest. I am over whelmed how much the lord has blesed me to learn. We as members and missionarys worked realy hard this week. I feal tired but ready to rise and give all again this week. I have come to love this poeple here. In not a very long time. I feal like i have so much to learn and over come i hope i can give all i can. I love my Heavenly Father and his beloved Son Jesus Christ. I cant belive how fast the time is flying by. I love you all. I hope to here from all of you how your doing. From Amy, Lydia, Emily, andrea, Dan those are the ones that told me they will write. Thank you mom for your lovely talk. Thank you dad for your letters each week. Well its almsot time to get back to work. Love Elder Pearce
Dear Family
i am so thankful that i got a great while to talk to my family. It was a great experiance trying to remember English. Wean i got going i could remeber it just fine.
It sounds like all is well and evryone is groing. I cant belive how much has changed.
Well the lord blessed us trumendously this week. THe members had a little welcome party for us. WEll sharing testimony and thanking that we were there to work harder. It Gave me a desire to work harder and give all that i have. THe members told us we came in like a huracane and started to pout things together. THe lord has had his mericle waiting for this little town of Mateares. Before we came it was falling apart and the members were scared that it was going to fall all apart. THe asistence (attendance) at church was going down it came down to 14. As we got there we changed the room how it looked pout some pictures up of christ cleande all the rooms well. Organized our gospel library called a librarian and went to work to make all looke well. Last week the asistence (attendance) went up to 31. THis week we got up as usual 5:00 in the morning to get to work walking our missionary team (or the members that help us out) we left to envite all we could to church. The members of Mateares set a record of 52 people coming to church. WE didnt have inof seats to sit down. I had the lovely time prisiding and anouncing the meating. It went realy well we had a lovely spirit. We had talks about reading scriptures, Praying and going to church. My companion gave a talk about seting goals as we finished the last song. YOU could feal and hear the spirit and the change in the way that the last hymn was song. 10 of the poeple that came to church were envestigating the church so we have alot of work to do. The lord has given me a great apertunity to grow and stretch. Then we split for clases. My companion taught the yung men and i gave the gospel doctrin class. I gave about the plan of salvation. It went very well we had great questions and i had the chance of explaning well that we can become Gods. Its a subject a little harder to explain Here to members and invetstigatores. The spirit was present and they captured it well. The secratary from Nagarote came to see how all is going. Gave us the great news that the Branch President will be coming next week. I had apertunity to give a interview for a yung man to recive the rank of a priest. I am over whelmed how much the lord has blesed me to learn. We as members and missionarys worked realy hard this week. I feal tired but ready to rise and give all again this week. I have come to love this poeple here. In not a very long time. I feal like i have so much to learn and over come i hope i can give all i can. I love my Heavenly Father and his beloved Son Jesus Christ. I cant belive how fast the time is flying by. I love you all. I hope to here from all of you how your doing. From Amy, Lydia, Emily, andrea, Dan those are the ones that told me they will write. Thank you mom for your lovely talk. Thank you dad for your letters each week. Well its almsot time to get back to work. Love Elder Pearce
Feliz Navidad 2008.....Transferred
From: Elder Andrey Pearce Dated: December 22, 2008
Dear Family
Feliz Navidad
i am sorry i didnt wirte to last week i had changes. I have bin given a great apertunity that the lord has called me to serve in mateares. Its a place were the church is starting out this week we had atendance of 31. I am so exited to work here. I was a bit nervous to preside this meating and was greatful for the help of my comanion. Hes name is ELder Oscal and he has 5 months on his mission. I had the apertunity to give a talk this sunday i have it about my life and navidad that the lord has blessed us to have Jesus CHrist in our lives. Whos birth we selibrate in this great time. I then had a chance to give the class and not knowing that i was going to give. As missonary we are always prepared to teach something. So i taught about the 2 Great Problems that we have in our lives. The Sin and Death and that the lord was born that he was chosen and he humbly came to this wold to solve this two problems in our lives. I taught that the gospel of Jesus christ is that He Was Chosen before this world. That he Came here on earth Paid for our sins and that he resurected and that he lives and loves us. It was a great lesson. Then after church we had all the men meet together and we talked about presthood and what it means to have pristhood it went well. Then at 3:00 we had a meating with the sisters of our ward as we talked about unity and planed a activity in wich we are together going to give christmas to a family here in this part of the world. I am so tired but i love wokring here. I have bin working hard studying and given my all to help here. I have one week here and have a geat love for this poelpe here. I have come to know them. Well i love you all and wish you the greatest christmas and i am thankfull to the lord all that he has done for me. I am thankful for this time in wich we can give and feel the same love that the savior felt. I am thankfull for his example in my life.
Mom happy birthday i am sorry i am a little late. I love you and thankfull for the time that you have spent helping me understand my life and my perpose here on earth how greatly i love you. Mom and Dad thank you for the packedge and the mony will be pout to great use. Mom i still havent got the packedge in wich are the garments or the chip for the camera. Happy Christmas i looke forward to talking with you i have lost a little of english and i have an acent will see how it goes. If you could call me on 25 december you can choose the houre it would be best at 12:00 or at 5:00 nic houre 930-1628. Mom if you could do me a huge favor and envite willy to this call i feal that i need to talk to him a little bit. I love you all and looke forward to the call that i will be resiving. Loves
Dear Family
Feliz Navidad
i am sorry i didnt wirte to last week i had changes. I have bin given a great apertunity that the lord has called me to serve in mateares. Its a place were the church is starting out this week we had atendance of 31. I am so exited to work here. I was a bit nervous to preside this meating and was greatful for the help of my comanion. Hes name is ELder Oscal and he has 5 months on his mission. I had the apertunity to give a talk this sunday i have it about my life and navidad that the lord has blessed us to have Jesus CHrist in our lives. Whos birth we selibrate in this great time. I then had a chance to give the class and not knowing that i was going to give. As missonary we are always prepared to teach something. So i taught about the 2 Great Problems that we have in our lives. The Sin and Death and that the lord was born that he was chosen and he humbly came to this wold to solve this two problems in our lives. I taught that the gospel of Jesus christ is that He Was Chosen before this world. That he Came here on earth Paid for our sins and that he resurected and that he lives and loves us. It was a great lesson. Then after church we had all the men meet together and we talked about presthood and what it means to have pristhood it went well. Then at 3:00 we had a meating with the sisters of our ward as we talked about unity and planed a activity in wich we are together going to give christmas to a family here in this part of the world. I am so tired but i love wokring here. I have bin working hard studying and given my all to help here. I have one week here and have a geat love for this poelpe here. I have come to know them. Well i love you all and wish you the greatest christmas and i am thankfull to the lord all that he has done for me. I am thankful for this time in wich we can give and feel the same love that the savior felt. I am thankfull for his example in my life.
Mom happy birthday i am sorry i am a little late. I love you and thankfull for the time that you have spent helping me understand my life and my perpose here on earth how greatly i love you. Mom and Dad thank you for the packedge and the mony will be pout to great use. Mom i still havent got the packedge in wich are the garments or the chip for the camera. Happy Christmas i looke forward to talking with you i have lost a little of english and i have an acent will see how it goes. If you could call me on 25 december you can choose the houre it would be best at 12:00 or at 5:00 nic houre 930-1628. Mom if you could do me a huge favor and envite willy to this call i feal that i need to talk to him a little bit. I love you all and looke forward to the call that i will be resiving. Loves
Baptizing two new families
From: Elder Andrey Pearce Dated: December 8, 2008
Dear Family
My hart is swelled with all the love that i have recived from my family and from my loved ones. Heavenly Father has blessed me so so much this week. I feal so joyful i feal like crying with joy. ( i am in cyber so i wont) This week the greatest news is that we had 5 baptizims. Familia Sanches and Family Sevilla. What a week saturday we had a baptizim pland for 11 in the morming as it fell through we saved it to do at 5. We got to there house 4 and started to see how we can help them get ready and how there were with evrything. We got there and Pedro wasent there so we were woried we saw him come home with his son whos a pastor or a preacher for another church. We talked with pacions and peace and they got ready ate and we went of to the stake center to baptize. The greatest part of this day that the members of Nindiri saported us in all our strugles as they changed there plans to be there 5pm. The baptizim went well the maria has 53 years and husband Pedro 62. Then we helped them get on transpertation for there house and we tooke a taxi to 21 for The family Sanches. We got there and the family was ready. As we were walking to there friends who were going to give them a ride who came from managua. Lisa told us she didnt want to get baptized she had some chalenges. So we started to talk to her. She reminds me of Lydia alot. She has 14 years old. We talked and i let her know that she will have the chanse to talk to the zone leader who will interview her again if she wanted. So we got to the chapel it was 7 y 30 then we helped her to meat with the zone leader as he talk to her. The family got dressed ready to take pictures. She got back and sat down saying no. so we as companionship desided to talk to her one more time. It was a very spiritual lesson that we gave her that i will remember good part of my life. As she told us she will get baptized. She asked if she could make a call she made the call got dreased and the whole family got baptized. What a mericle that the lord gave ua. Albin who is her step dad thanked us for helping her. What a bryte happy family they are. The part that they live there isent many members so they will be one of the first family there i know they will help the work move along. Love the mission and all the work that my Heavenly Father has helped me to be part of. I hope that i have a chance to serve him all my life. Well my thoughts are not all together i am a bit tired from last week but realy happy. Another great thing hapend we went to the christmas devotional as the stake president pout his arm around me and told me that he was very thankfull for all the work that we are doing in Nindiri and for teaching his poeple. I could feal a great spirit with the stake president. I am thankful to the lord and my mom and dad for all that they have tought me. i am so blessed in my life. Hope to honer my Heavenly Father in this life work hard to do all the good that i can. Thank you for all your letters i love you all. I cant belive that i am 21 i feal a little old. I love my sister carissa and the great example that she has given me in my life and the apertunity that i had to share the same day with her. I know that she is happy. I thank my Savior Jesus Christ for all that he did for me. Love you all have a great week.
mom & dad i havent goten any of the packedges i think they are waiting to give them all for christmas. Thank you for all that you do for me
Dear Family
My hart is swelled with all the love that i have recived from my family and from my loved ones. Heavenly Father has blessed me so so much this week. I feal so joyful i feal like crying with joy. ( i am in cyber so i wont) This week the greatest news is that we had 5 baptizims. Familia Sanches and Family Sevilla. What a week saturday we had a baptizim pland for 11 in the morming as it fell through we saved it to do at 5. We got to there house 4 and started to see how we can help them get ready and how there were with evrything. We got there and Pedro wasent there so we were woried we saw him come home with his son whos a pastor or a preacher for another church. We talked with pacions and peace and they got ready ate and we went of to the stake center to baptize. The greatest part of this day that the members of Nindiri saported us in all our strugles as they changed there plans to be there 5pm. The baptizim went well the maria has 53 years and husband Pedro 62. Then we helped them get on transpertation for there house and we tooke a taxi to 21 for The family Sanches. We got there and the family was ready. As we were walking to there friends who were going to give them a ride who came from managua. Lisa told us she didnt want to get baptized she had some chalenges. So we started to talk to her. She reminds me of Lydia alot. She has 14 years old. We talked and i let her know that she will have the chanse to talk to the zone leader who will interview her again if she wanted. So we got to the chapel it was 7 y 30 then we helped her to meat with the zone leader as he talk to her. The family got dressed ready to take pictures. She got back and sat down saying no. so we as companionship desided to talk to her one more time. It was a very spiritual lesson that we gave her that i will remember good part of my life. As she told us she will get baptized. She asked if she could make a call she made the call got dreased and the whole family got baptized. What a mericle that the lord gave ua. Albin who is her step dad thanked us for helping her. What a bryte happy family they are. The part that they live there isent many members so they will be one of the first family there i know they will help the work move along. Love the mission and all the work that my Heavenly Father has helped me to be part of. I hope that i have a chance to serve him all my life. Well my thoughts are not all together i am a bit tired from last week but realy happy. Another great thing hapend we went to the christmas devotional as the stake president pout his arm around me and told me that he was very thankfull for all the work that we are doing in Nindiri and for teaching his poeple. I could feal a great spirit with the stake president. I am thankful to the lord and my mom and dad for all that they have tought me. i am so blessed in my life. Hope to honer my Heavenly Father in this life work hard to do all the good that i can. Thank you for all your letters i love you all. I cant belive that i am 21 i feal a little old. I love my sister carissa and the great example that she has given me in my life and the apertunity that i had to share the same day with her. I know that she is happy. I thank my Savior Jesus Christ for all that he did for me. Love you all have a great week.
mom & dad i havent goten any of the packedges i think they are waiting to give them all for christmas. Thank you for all that you do for me
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Elder Matthew Courtright: Christmas week :(
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Subject: Christmas week :(
so this week is christmas and my companion and i are keeping score of presents and letters we receive. currently it looks something like the following table:
Elder Courtright Elder Walker
Letters | Packages Letters | Packages
2 0 1 7!!!
Come on now guys. that makes me sad. By the way, my 2 letters are from the Mission president and brother reid! man, this is gonna be the best christmas ever. i dont have to worry about getting better stuff than my comp, cause you cant beat getting nothing :) well, i have full confidence that this pity letter with help motivate some of you. Now lets recap the things that I, Elder Courtright, find joy in.
1) music
2) ties
3) pictures of you
4) number 3 especially if you are a girl
5) Starbursts
6) Cheeze its
7) stephen colbert "quote a day" calendars
8) love
9) lots of long letters
10) Edible AIDS
11) all the above individually wrapped so it looks like i get alot of stuff in a giant box with bubble wrap :) (bubble wrap!!!)
okay now for a recap of the week. on tuesday we had a christmas devo in Greeley colorado. we each had to get a white elephant gift. i got a fireman and cop rubber duckie and bubble wrap (see, its awesome, i got it for free from dollar tree. they love me.). we had a white elephant gift exchange. the gift that i originally ended up with, cause i am infinitely lucky, was a box of..drum roll...peanuts and lots of candy bars with peanuts. then we played a game and passed the presents around and my final gift was even better. It was a tiara and earings and a big fat ring...too bad it all cut the circulation to my head and fingers off but it was good stuff. wednesday we went to the temple. i forgot my temple recommend which kinda made the day start poorly but president ely got me into the temple and then to brighten my day, there was a....little person in the temple. out of respect for the temple, they can be little people for a day, but he was there. the day was then perfected! that night we went to a mexican restraunt and i had some good orchata. yum! i drank like 5 glasses of it. thursday we set a 10 year old kid for baptism. he is so cool. he is like a red headed step child. literally. saturday we spent 5 hours on base and it was so cool. the military base families are so awesome. sunday we had dinner with a multi racial family so that made my day. they adopted 3 black boys who are 7, 6, and 5..i believe. they all have the same mom and different days, who would have thought? then we went to a stake christmas devotional which was amazing. hope all is going well with you all wherever you are. have a merry christmas and remember, i am important! haha. just kidding...not really though
--Elder Courtright
Date: Mon, Dec 22, 2008 at 3:30 PM
Subject: Christmas week :(
so this week is christmas and my companion and i are keeping score of presents and letters we receive. currently it looks something like the following table:
Elder Courtright Elder Walker
Letters | Packages Letters | Packages
2 0 1 7!!!
Come on now guys. that makes me sad. By the way, my 2 letters are from the Mission president and brother reid! man, this is gonna be the best christmas ever. i dont have to worry about getting better stuff than my comp, cause you cant beat getting nothing :) well, i have full confidence that this pity letter with help motivate some of you. Now lets recap the things that I, Elder Courtright, find joy in.
1) music
2) ties
3) pictures of you
4) number 3 especially if you are a girl
5) Starbursts
6) Cheeze its
7) stephen colbert "quote a day" calendars
8) love
9) lots of long letters
10) Edible AIDS
11) all the above individually wrapped so it looks like i get alot of stuff in a giant box with bubble wrap :) (bubble wrap!!!)
okay now for a recap of the week. on tuesday we had a christmas devo in Greeley colorado. we each had to get a white elephant gift. i got a fireman and cop rubber duckie and bubble wrap (see, its awesome, i got it for free from dollar tree. they love me.). we had a white elephant gift exchange. the gift that i originally ended up with, cause i am infinitely lucky, was a box of..drum roll...peanuts and lots of candy bars with peanuts. then we played a game and passed the presents around and my final gift was even better. It was a tiara and earings and a big fat ring...too bad it all cut the circulation to my head and fingers off but it was good stuff. wednesday we went to the temple. i forgot my temple recommend which kinda made the day start poorly but president ely got me into the temple and then to brighten my day, there was a....little person in the temple. out of respect for the temple, they can be little people for a day, but he was there. the day was then perfected! that night we went to a mexican restraunt and i had some good orchata. yum! i drank like 5 glasses of it. thursday we set a 10 year old kid for baptism. he is so cool. he is like a red headed step child. literally. saturday we spent 5 hours on base and it was so cool. the military base families are so awesome. sunday we had dinner with a multi racial family so that made my day. they adopted 3 black boys who are 7, 6, and 5..i believe. they all have the same mom and different days, who would have thought? then we went to a stake christmas devotional which was amazing. hope all is going well with you all wherever you are. have a merry christmas and remember, i am important! haha. just kidding...not really though
--Elder Courtright
Elder Matthew Courtright: ether 12:4...my favorite
From: Matthew Courtright
Date: Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Subject: ether 12:4...my favorite
so this has been the most terribly cold week of my life. fortunately we roll in an '06 Carolla now! so monday was transfer day and that was crazy. i quickly learned that we, as missionaries, are really nothing more than pawns on a chess board and at any minute we can be go and told to do something that is 100% opposite of what we were told an hour ago. not fun. anyways, got a car. when my new companion, elder walker, and i first sat in it we had a moment of silence. it felt so good. then we commenced meeting the ward. we spent all week pretty much meeting the ward council and that kind of thing. i was one again being swept into an area so neither he nor i new anyone. we have 40+ part member families in this ward so thats where we are starting as far as the work goes. we have met about 5 of them and atleast 2 have real potential to no longer be part member families. there is a 10 year old who we are setting for baptism this thursday. his parents are seperated and it took 2 years for her to agree to let him be baptized. i am so excited for him. (also, everytime i think the word "baptized" i hear it the way Bro. Sagastizado says it. lots of emphasis on the 2nd syllable). uhh, well lets see if i can think chronologically. on friday we had weekly planning and i was looking through the ward list (it was really old) and (everyone who has lived in the olde oaks ward for more than 3 years will be suprised/amazed by the following) i saw a name that jumped up and punched me in the jugular. Ben Isom. Holy small world. for a little background on that, brother isom lived in the ward about 3 years ago and was in the air force. he confirmed me a member of the church. he was small, really small, but athletic, and in the Young Mens program. Now, you might be thinking like i was thinking. what are the chances. so i kinda ignored it and just kept on going. well sunday at church, the Relief Society president asked me where i was from and i told her houston. she said "oh, we just had a family from houston move about 3 months ago. did you know the Isom's?" i proceded to discribe him and turns out they are one in the same. ben isom and his family moved from houston to wyoming (i remembered that part) but i didnt know where. and in august they got transfered down to odessa (i think) which is back in texas. that was really sad for me. but one of the air force guys emailed him on his black berry and is gonna get back with me with a response. he lived in the ward where i now serve. crazy! also, the bishop of the ward, 25 years ago, lived in oak creek village which is also in the ward boundaries...crazy small world.
In other sunday news. the high for sunday was a high quality 1 degree. most of the day was spent at about -2 degrees. morally of the story: who the fetch willingly lives in wyoming?!
I heard it snowed in houston. REPORT!
love you playas!
--Elder Courtright
Date: Mon, Dec 15, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Subject: ether 12:4...my favorite
so this has been the most terribly cold week of my life. fortunately we roll in an '06 Carolla now! so monday was transfer day and that was crazy. i quickly learned that we, as missionaries, are really nothing more than pawns on a chess board and at any minute we can be go and told to do something that is 100% opposite of what we were told an hour ago. not fun. anyways, got a car. when my new companion, elder walker, and i first sat in it we had a moment of silence. it felt so good. then we commenced meeting the ward. we spent all week pretty much meeting the ward council and that kind of thing. i was one again being swept into an area so neither he nor i new anyone. we have 40+ part member families in this ward so thats where we are starting as far as the work goes. we have met about 5 of them and atleast 2 have real potential to no longer be part member families. there is a 10 year old who we are setting for baptism this thursday. his parents are seperated and it took 2 years for her to agree to let him be baptized. i am so excited for him. (also, everytime i think the word "baptized" i hear it the way Bro. Sagastizado says it. lots of emphasis on the 2nd syllable). uhh, well lets see if i can think chronologically. on friday we had weekly planning and i was looking through the ward list (it was really old) and (everyone who has lived in the olde oaks ward for more than 3 years will be suprised/amazed by the following) i saw a name that jumped up and punched me in the jugular. Ben Isom. Holy small world. for a little background on that, brother isom lived in the ward about 3 years ago and was in the air force. he confirmed me a member of the church. he was small, really small, but athletic, and in the Young Mens program. Now, you might be thinking like i was thinking. what are the chances. so i kinda ignored it and just kept on going. well sunday at church, the Relief Society president asked me where i was from and i told her houston. she said "oh, we just had a family from houston move about 3 months ago. did you know the Isom's?" i proceded to discribe him and turns out they are one in the same. ben isom and his family moved from houston to wyoming (i remembered that part) but i didnt know where. and in august they got transfered down to odessa (i think) which is back in texas. that was really sad for me. but one of the air force guys emailed him on his black berry and is gonna get back with me with a response. he lived in the ward where i now serve. crazy! also, the bishop of the ward, 25 years ago, lived in oak creek village which is also in the ward boundaries...crazy small world.
In other sunday news. the high for sunday was a high quality 1 degree. most of the day was spent at about -2 degrees. morally of the story: who the fetch willingly lives in wyoming?!
I heard it snowed in houston. REPORT!
love you playas!
--Elder Courtright
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