31 March 2009 Letter

Dear Family,

We broke the record for baptisms in a month. Our mission got 227 in March and the record was 206. It just shows that the Lord blesses us when we work hard. We were all really excited and hopefully next month will be better. Elder P[...] and I have two investigators planning on being baptized in April, and we are hoping to commit some more.

We just had interviews yesterday and I've decided that I will really miss Pres. J[...] and his wife when they leave in June. Our new President is Pres. O[...] from Philadelphia. I'm sure he will step in and do great.

This Thursday We are baptising E[...] M[...]. He has been taught for 4 years and we're excited that we are the elders able to baptise him. I hope everything over there is good.

Love E[...] M[...]

24 March 2009 Letter

[The new bishop in the ward.] Wow that is amazing. He will do great. Maybe they just had to release [the previous bishop] because they need a new stake president. I wouldn't be surprised.

Unfortunately for you guys taxes are coming up and I can't do them so could you guys do them for me. I should get a grip of money back. Thanks and also thanks for clearing up jury duty.

This week M[...] T[...] was baptized finally. I played the piano for it and it went really well. Last night she had sick kids and she had us come over and bless them because the doctors don't know what is wrong with them. I'm really happy she is turning to the Lord with her problems because that is where the real help is, especially for children because her youngest can't take any medicine because she is too young. They will be fine though in a few days.

We committed [someone] for baptism sunday night. It is the stake president's father in law. He warily told us about him and how he isn't a member, so the ward mission leader and [we] elders stopped by and taught him. I am really glad I was able to stay [here] for this transfer.

Love, E[...] M[...]

17 March 2009 Letter

Everything is going well here.  Nights are a little shorter because my companion has to take a bunch of phone calls every night  so we don't always get to sleep on time because of that and we still have to plan.

Nothing out of the ordinary is going on.  We keep teaching this old guy named c[...] k[...], but he isn't really progressing.  He has serious word of wisdom issues and we always leave smelling like smoke[...].  We have been trying to get him to church, but we have to work through all his problems with members.  I wish everyone up here that said they were mormon would make choices in accordance with that because so many people have been offended or had bad experiences because of members.  They always judge the church on those experiences and not the good that is all around them.

I don't remember if i told you about E[...].  He has been taught by the missionaries for 4 years and just now finally accepted a baptism date for April 2.  We are really excited and he is too.  He said he had a dream a couple weeks ago where he was baptized and it just seemed right to do it.  I am glad he finally stopped being wishy washy and accepted this into his life.

Love, E[...] M[....]

Pictures on 3/10/2009

This week we got pictures instead of a letter. W's mother doesn't believe that a picture is worth a 1000 words.

17 February 2009 Letter

[...]

Thanks for saving my letters, I don't do journals.

This week we lost some of our investigators and 2 baptism dates. S[...] M[...] is ready, but her dad won't approve of her being baptized because it is not his idea. Divorced parents are idiots some times.

Last night T[...] J[...] went through his Baptismal interview and passed. I'm really excited for him because he's so ready for baptism. When we taught him word of wisdom he gave up coffee right then even though he has dranken it since he was 5.

We've been tracting like crazy because we keep losing investigators, they tell us to not come back or they get baptized. I guess we're doing well because we taked to a lady and she has a son in england and he had his 1st baptism and he has 3 weeks left. My first one where I was crucial in preparing him is this Sat. 4 weeks into my mission. We baptise so many because the members get involved.

Love E[...] M[...]

3 March 2009 Letter

[...]

This week we baptised a 28 year old guy named J[...] F[...]. He runs a dry cleaner and hooked us up with the spray they use to remove smoke and smells from clothes. It's nice because we are always teaching people who have word of wisdom issues and our clothes stink after we teach them.

I have pictures, but my camera isn't here. I don't think I'm going to send my memory card home soon because if I send it then I can only take 10 pictures without it, but I can email them so it works out.

Last night we got a call because it is transfers tomorrow. I lucked out because my comp is now the dl and we stay in the area another transfer togetther. Now i don't have to take the lead in the area at least for six weeks. Lifes going good, we had 4 baptisms in February and are goal is for 3 in March. We'll see what happens.

I was just wondering What is the monthly goal for Tucson missionaries. Up here we try for 200 a month so I was wondering how it compares.

Love E[...] M[...]

24 February 2009 letter

I got the debit card so you can activate it. also pay 5$ tithing for the money the [...] sent me. So this week we baptized T[...]. At the baptism there were over 125 people there. It was a big turnout and it went really well. [...] Today I went hiking up a mountain to an abandoned christmas tree farm. It was fun and i'll send pictures next week because I left my camera at the apartment.
Love
E[...] M[...]