Lost Sheep

On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 12:35 PM, Matthew Courtright wrote:

hey all. sorry if yall have missed me over the last weeks. its been crazy hectic. God has been having fun with my health. Dont worry, still no AIDS or anything serious, just a series of fun little things to try my patience. I started off by getting sick. I have never had a summer cold before so that wasnt fun. I took lots of Nyquil and about 2 days later was over it..for the most part. the next 3 days were spent with very little energy. The slightest amount of anything wore me out. Walking up stairs was hard becuase i had so little energy. I slept alot. I had never been so effected by the flu. Then about the middle of last week my tooth started to hurt. I ignored it (which is what every 18 - 24 year old does) and hoped it would go away. it did, but was replaced by massive headaches. So i called one of the 9 local dentists in the ward and asked him to check it out for free. He didnt even think twice, just said yes. He also wrote me a perscription for ammoxcicilan to kill anything. i went in this morning and he removed a filling i had to see what was up. He thought i was crazy at first but he said that i had been grinding my teeth which is a sign that something is up. When he removed the filling he said "uhhh, bad" then proceded to scrape away at my tooth with out telling me anything. i was lost. turns out i had a cavity under my tooth. He said that it wasnt anything i could do to prevent and that it was probably the dentist who put in the fillings fault. (By the way, i got that filling in Oklahoma...which is to say Canada.) Apparently the cavity was dangerously close to the root. So he fixed it and then refered me to a root canal specialist (who coincidentally is also in the ward. Freakin lots of dentists here). SO i might need a root canal and hopefully i can get it for free. a perk of being a missionary.

So it better news, a couple weeks ago i mentioned that we had had a miracle but never expounded on it. Now i will. So my companion and i were walking down the street to go and visit a family that had just moved into the ward. ON our way, we stopped and contacted to asian girls. They were very timid but their uncle said "come back. you need teach them. they go to church" (all asian like). we set up a time to come back but were very...hesitant because he wanted us to teach them, not him. we came back though with one of the youth and began to teach them and their 10 year old brother. We had to start at the basics. They had little to no concept of God or the spirit or anything. It was kinda sad. However, when we pulled out a Book of Mormon they said oh we have one. turns out the girls are members but tony was not old enough to be baptized. We were led to 3 of God's lost sheep. It was nothing short of a miracle. Since then, they have come to church and been fully welcomed into the ward. Tony has made some great friends already and the 2 girls, Kocky and Luly, are opening up. Tony is getting baptized on the 22nd of August and is super stoked about it.

Well, i am out of time and would write more if i could. Be good Yall. Love ya.

Elder Courtright

--
Penny Freeman
Gratitude is the essence of joy.

Almost a Branch

From: Elder Andrushka Dated: March 9, 2009

Dear family,

I will finally be ready to send you some of my pictures of what is happening. The camera is not working right now i don't really now why it wont turn on. I was able to get a hold of the camera of my companion. How i love this work. He is the one that dose this work. We are instruments in his hands. This week the most amazing thing that happened is that our largest challenge in the ward came to an end. I was very pleased that it came to an end. I know that the lord guides this work that he made it possible. I have bin praying that we could know how to finish it. All that we did activities everything inviting our leaders to speak about it nothing ended. Then a miracle of Our Heavenly father happened an accident and it bright all down as everyone know is unified and in better working condition.

This week we had our anniversary OF 3 Years in Mateares. We made a video with the help of a reporter that is member of the church. It was very good as the video ended all jumped with joy with applause. The spirit was very strong.

We also had the privilege of having the assistants to the president there they loved it. It has become an area really productive and all have there eyes on the area. Presidente Fraatz as well as Elder Clark. We have sent our papers in and they have bin postponed tell we have 9 Melchizedek Priesthood members that are worthy. We are close we have 5 and 5 more in training.

I have come to love this area. As i expressed my feelings trying to help end the problem i realized how much i have become involved to wanting to bless this people with all my heart. What they all mean for me. How much they care and want to help me also. The more i serve the clearer i see the picture. The Picture of this life which is based on the work of Our Father In Heaven and Our savior Jesus Christ. I hope that i will have many opportunity's to serve.

In this area i have learned many positions and the importance of them. What function they have and why its important. The work goes freater with the bishopric and all there leaders. How i love the lord. He has blessed me so much. I thank him for all that he gives me and trains me and gives me more patience and love to keep giving. This week we helped a brother santos receive priesthood as we transferred his file from the states to here he is ready to serve and help. What a miracle happened. We past by and he was drinking about 3 months a go. We invited him to church thinking he wouldn't even remember tomorrow. The next day he was dressed with his bible in hand at church.

Thinking to our surprise he is not a member talking to him a little more we found out he is a member of the church. He made the choice and left his other life behind and is very firm in the gospel. Goes to church each week and pays his tithing every week. He is one of the members that's the most on time.

Felicidad Dano y Bienvenidos Carrie a nuestro familia. Dios bendiga su familia para siempre mantener felizes en su camino hasta la Exaltacion. Quidance uno a otro siempre. Espero de conocer muy pronto Carrie. 6 meses y poso mas. Mom the translation was good there was somethings little of being incorrect of order. I understood very well.

About wean i had 14 months on the mission i asked president to extend i will be coming home on month after my date. I would love it if you would come down and get to know some of the greatest families on earth. I still have lots and lots of time. Well i would put it like that because i don't want to think about leaving the mission. The mission is the best place to learn and it capacitates one to be the best in all. To be a great Father To be a great leader. I remember when the bishop told me that i would be learning how to be a better father. It is very true. Seeing so many families here. Giving so many talks (not that many) On families i feel more capable of running a family.

I gave a talk this week on Sunday about i and my house will serve the lord. It went really well as we are trying all as a mission to start more the family prayer scripture reading and family home evening. I let all know about our system as it was and about my mom and dad. The great examples they are for me and many people that i have taught. I can't believe that all are coming home so fast i remember that we just started and now we are finishing. Love you all take care i will sure pray for Amy and Dads business. Elder Pearce

Yet Another Miracle

From Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: March 2, 2009

Dear Family

Well The work just goes on and mericles grow more visable. How i love the work of the lord and to see how much my heavenly father loves me. This week we had a major mericle. Do to the privacy of the family i will not be explaning evrything.

We have bin working with this family for about 3 months the daughter of theres is member of the church and has more then a year the mom realy wants to be member and dad also. They have gone to church many acasions they love it and want to be part of it. They have wanted to be baptized for a while. To baptize them we need to merry them to merry them we need to take care of some ligal problems we have a lowyer working on the ligal problem. We have found lots of hoops to jump through that i can not explain fully. We have jumped through many hoopes with them finishing.

The mericle is that they told us that to solve it they have found a way they found the person that we need to visit. They told us he lives on the other part of the highway to leon wich is over the mountins. We then called to get permission and we were given permision saturday morning as we went to the house they told us they didnt want to go and work on this any more they are fine as they are. My companion and i taught them that its better to try and do all right then run away from things. (learning from Dad and his experiance)

So after a little talk she told us his name and the buss stop the only thing she new is that he lived far inn in a vilage. So we had the bus stop the name and nothing els. We then went to the house of Vladimir talk him into post poining his meating and he after listening to the adventure and experiance gave the go. So at 1:00 pm we left on the adventure to Managua then to the destination traveling about 2 houres or more. As we got on the bus it was a great experiance as the buss filled and we were standing.

As we were standing Vladimir made a coment to a sister that was sitting and she had a little daughter siting there. In a realy hush tone he told my companion it would be good if she could cary her daughter on her lape. In a joking way. Well she heard and picked her daughter up and invited him to sitt down. Wean he sat down he started to talk to her and asked her about the bus stop she said she was going there and then we asked her if she new this man she said yes his my next door vecino(español).

What a mericle that we came to that stop she was the only one that got of at that stop that live in that farm area that new who he was. How the lord takes care of his servents and what they do. It gave me a testimony that the lord loves me and that i am realy doing his work. We got of walked to there with this great sister talking with her daughter and with her. She led us to his house and told that he was.

The mission that we were there didnt go so well because he didnt want to help out at first explaining the case good he went away happy we tooke picture with him and went on our way. We stoped at that house and gave a pamflet to read about the curch.

I know this is the work of the lord. Before we left my companion told me something if its the work of the lord we will find him. We came back from that experiance knowing that this is the work of the lord. What a great apertunity that vladimir had the chance to be part of the mericle and strengthen his testimony.

This sunday we sustaind ordaind three a melchesedik priesthood and one a aronic presthood. we also called and sustaind first and second counsler and a chorum president its a sight to see here in this ward. That is newly started that they are familys they have little kids. I could picture all the little kids serving missions being strong guideing one another together. I love this area i truly hope that i can spend a little longer here.

I know that it sounds that i am tired but to the lord i am willing to give my best and not just dream about it but to do it. Something that our mission president taught me is find a way and do it. We call it Haron azul(the blue vase) I love The Lord with all my heart. I have 7 more months to give it all i have. I looke forward to coming home all draind out giving my all. I love you all have A great weding i hope that my presence will be there. I love you brother and saport you in your desicions.

School of the Elders

From Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: February 23, 2009

Dear family

well the work keeps moving forward and there are more and more members here and more and mre mericles.

this week a family of 4 got merried a mom dad and there kids it was a refrence of Vladimir and he helped us to baptize them. He has bin working alot with us and helping out. He has bin looking for familys to teach and then makes and apointment for us.

I love working here. THis week we mostly worked hard to prepare this family to be members and to work out the chalenges. THis week for our meating i invited two priesthood members to sit with me up front and start teaching them the order of things. At first they were a bit scared to be up there and do something tell i expland they wont be doing anything yet this week. So it was a great experiance teaching them the order and somethings that are taken care by the bishoprick.

The membership of our church is about 80 members now and each week we are at 50 to 60 members. THis sunday we had 59 it was a great turne out and you could feel the spirit well with so many priesthood ready to serve and help. THe mearing went well. We invited a missionary thats our zone lider to come and give a talk about gosip and it went well you could feal the desire of the members to change.

We have formed school of the elderes to start teaching melkhesedek priesthood. We have 13 of age to recive this priesthood that is trumendous for a branch and we are not yet iven a branch. President was very happy about that.

Well the work goes one i dont have much to say. I feal a bit sick but dont worry its nothing to worry about. I will have to ask for a blessing from my companion and take care of my self more. Love the responsebility that the lord has given me to be here and to work and to do all that i can. May the lord bless you all in the eforts that he has called each one of you. I love you all dearly.

Elder Pearce

Three Marriages

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

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.

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.

Buenas

From: Elder Andrushka Pearce Dated: 10.13.08

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

Last Email as a Missionary

From Elder Paul Freeman, dated October 8, 2008

Dear Mom,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Love,

Elder Freeman

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