haha you probably thought that i didnt know the rangers were in the series...but us missionaries have ways to find out things....its called...teaching our investigators at work hahaha...we taught this one guy and he sat us down at a table right in front of a 42" tv showing the phillies/giants game..of course, me being the sports fan, asked him who he wanted to win the series..y el me dijo, "pues, tu sabes. Tejas va a ganarlo." I almost jumped out of my chari and started running around. My prayers have been answered. 20 years of praying and it finally pays off. hahahahaha. From what I hear, Texas is not the same team. They actually score runs off of small things and not bombs. Im sure the giants have good pithcing with tim lincecum, but with cliff lee and the solid line up of solid hitters we have...i pick the rangers in 6...yeah, i still got it hahaha
Questions:
Haha i honestly shed some tears when i opened my package today. After 20 years of waiting, MY rangers are in the WS. I have been ture since the rusty greer and juan gonzalez years, through the rafeal palimero Todd Zeile years through the buck showalter seasons and now into what i am calling, "Nolan Ryan saves us again" years hahahah. I almost wore my jersey over my shirt and tie and i am taking a pic with every thing on tonight. Just know that when i work out in the morning, i wear my rangers hat backwards. hahaha
First off tell Coach byrd and schlecta hi and nancy too when you see them. haha i saw your question, "did anything happen at the MCRD" welll.....Lets just say something happened that not very many 20 year old guys get to do. At the MCRD when i walked in I talked with Marc Mandel and we were talking about the MP and him receiveing it soon. Then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a member of the Stake Presidency walk in and i got the impression, today is the day. So i told marc to hold on and went and talked with the Military relations missionary (you know how military people are..i would of gone right to the top, but the military likes their chain of command). He told me the branch president was pretty packed. i walked back to marc and once again i had the impression, "today is the day." So i went back and told the military relations missionary about it and we talked with the BP and he interviewed marc and then the Stake pres. interviewed him. I didn't know if he passed the interviews or not until he was sustained in PH meeting. Then one of the branch presidecny members came up to me and said, "Elder Little, Mandel wants you to ordain him. Make it happen." i was blown away. I never though in my mission that i would get to give someone the MP. So i ordained marc and we talked afteward. he said that he felt clean and felt this really good feeling inside during the blessing. i told him that it was Heavenly Father telling him that He was proud of him and that he was doing the right thing. IT HONESTLY WAS THE MOST POWERFUL SPIRITUAL EXPERINCE OF MY LIFE. So now, i get to make a PH line of authority for marc. how cool is that? Other tahn that, not a whole lot happened this week. I have been feeling pretty trunky this week. Satan has been working me over with the Rangers and all the diffferent sports that are going on right now. Im not going to lie, it is way tough. More tough thatn i thoug it was going to be. But i am making it, just pray for me...i definately need those to focus more.
Transfers are today. Me and Elder Guenette are staying together. Which makes me happy, he will be my first comp to stay for more than 1. and we have 5 baptisms planned for november!!! Well thats about all. Oh, president tells us alot of 1st presidency and quroum of the 12 stories. I have a lot about pres. hinckley and him. He told the other day that he has been in meetings where pres. hinckley prophesized of things that are happening right now. Pretty cool!
Thanks for everything!! I LOVE YALL!!
ross
Friday, October 29, 2010
Letter from October 19, 2010
Well I hear that my rangers are tearing it up...is there any chance they could actually win the title this year? If so, I need to write pres. and get permission to watch one of the games. I think he will understand, what do yall think?
1. Well, where do I start with the MCRD. I have no idea. The MCRD is where marine recruits go for their boot camp. They are here for a total of 3 months. the first month is here in San Diego at the MCRD, then they go for a month to Camp Pendelton in NOrthern California, and then come back for a month at the MCRD where they finish and becom marines. Now, what is my job there? The church has an LDS branch on the base. The MCRD branch. We have services every sunday from 730-11. We meet in a big college classroom, kind of like a lecture hall i guess. We have sacrament meeting, and priesthood and we just started having a new-member class for those recruits we just baptized. From 730-830, we as missionaries go around and talk with recruits. We have a list of all the recruits there and we look at the list and i know that it might sound cliche, but the Spirit tells us who to go talk to and we go and talk with them about life, and relate it to the gospel. We dont proselyte, thats not allowed. We just ask if they are interested in learning more if they say no, thats fine, if they say yes, well thats even better. The branch is led my a branch president, and his 9 counselors. he has 9 counselors because this "branch" has on average 250 marines there each sunday (50 of them being nonmembers). Sacrament meeting starts at 830 and goes till 945. After that there is priesthood or the new-member class. Also, the missionaries teach "investigators" during that time as well. There is no LDS chaplain in charge, but one of the chaplains at the top of the marines is LDS, so we are loved by everyone. (Well almost, but i will get to that later). We baptize them in a tub. It is a little physical therapy pool a little bigger than yalls bathtub at home, but ofcourse deeper. It is pretty sweet. All in all, the MCRD is definitiely where the Lord wants me to be right now. I hope that clears everything up.
(His next answer is in response to my mom telling him about some missionary training DVDs they had watched that took place in Ross's mission)
2. Wow mom and dad, how did yall get a copy of those? They are supposed to be pretty hard to get, but i guess you dont have all of them. There is a "movie" part as well. It is made up of 3 episodes, where it actually is realityTV. And yes, all of those names sound familiar. And i know all but one. I met Elder Bott when he was back here visiting and talked with him for awhile. Elder Murray was the AP when i came in and i talked with and worked with im at Gladys Knight. I spent the day with Elder Moreno last transfer on exchanges (he was an AP) and we became pretty close. We always sat next to each other at training meetings over the past few transfers. He is at home now at BYU, we email back and forth every now and then. Elder Christiansen is one of the APs now. He is a way funny guy and i go on exchanges and work with him at the MCRD and in ZL council. He is pretty cool. Elder Hepworth is a ZL as well, so i have gotten to know him. Sister Voyles and sister Zalivar were in my zone in IB. They are both pretty cool. And i never got to meet Elder Tuituu, he left before i got here and is getting married soon. Elder Bott, murray, tuituu, moreno and sis. zalivar are all home now. I have gotten to meet just a few of the families in the video. The asain guy, Brother Rodriguez and his family. He is still investigating the church, but now is being taught by a missioary in his natvie language, tagalog. Jynx is still being taught by elder christensen. German, the big huge guy, just recently baptized his mom, so that was pretty cool. I have been in all the chapels were they are. In the video, you probably havent seen it since it is in the "movie", they show the branch (which just recently became a ward!!!!) in IB. Those are my people, my branch in that one. All in all, are mission is pretty much the greatest in the world because of Pres. Donaldson. The reason we were chosen was because pres.donaldson was chosen before his mission. His job before the mission was to instruct the 1st presidency and the 12. yeah, he taught them. He was the director over teaching in the church. Something all the missionaries say about him is, "Pres. is so cool, President Eyring wanted to share a sandwich with him." which is ture, they really did share a sandwaich together, more than once. When he talked with Pres. Monson about being a mission president, Pres. Monson told him, "Lee, you are the best teacher in the church, we need you in San Diego. and your calling won't stop there." Its coming from the prophet, so it has to be true.
Anyways, i dont have too muchh to write this week. We just had another surprise baptism. Oriel, the brother of Erwin, decided he wanted to be baptized so we baptized him on sunday! It was pretty cool, both want to receive the PH now. Marc Mandel, my 1st RC athe MCRD, is going to receive the Melchizadeck PH in 2 weeks. he is already talking about going to the temple and everything. So he is still solid and progressing. We have a couple of baptisms coming up at the end of the month (halloween baptisms!!!!) and then a few planned out for early november. Right now, we are focusing on finding more people to baptize and keep the work moving up, without any down points.
Well that is about all i ahve for now. Oh yeah, I told you that almost everybody liked ius at the MCRd. This guy came and started getting mad at us for having our picnic for the marines that graduate. He is some crazy old colonel who thinks he still has power. Well lets jsut say he was "taken care of" At the marine graduation, General Bailey, the commanding general of the MCRD and the marines, came up to the military relations senior couple and asked if everything was going ok for the LDS. They said yeah its ok. he told them, "I heard there is someone that I need to take care off. let me tell you this, if someone messes with my best friends, they mess with me. " and then walked off. So it is pretty coolthat we have the commanding genereal of the marines on our side. Take that Satan!!
I love everybody. Tell everyone i said hey!!
LOve
Ross
1. Well, where do I start with the MCRD. I have no idea. The MCRD is where marine recruits go for their boot camp. They are here for a total of 3 months. the first month is here in San Diego at the MCRD, then they go for a month to Camp Pendelton in NOrthern California, and then come back for a month at the MCRD where they finish and becom marines. Now, what is my job there? The church has an LDS branch on the base. The MCRD branch. We have services every sunday from 730-11. We meet in a big college classroom, kind of like a lecture hall i guess. We have sacrament meeting, and priesthood and we just started having a new-member class for those recruits we just baptized. From 730-830, we as missionaries go around and talk with recruits. We have a list of all the recruits there and we look at the list and i know that it might sound cliche, but the Spirit tells us who to go talk to and we go and talk with them about life, and relate it to the gospel. We dont proselyte, thats not allowed. We just ask if they are interested in learning more if they say no, thats fine, if they say yes, well thats even better. The branch is led my a branch president, and his 9 counselors. he has 9 counselors because this "branch" has on average 250 marines there each sunday (50 of them being nonmembers). Sacrament meeting starts at 830 and goes till 945. After that there is priesthood or the new-member class. Also, the missionaries teach "investigators" during that time as well. There is no LDS chaplain in charge, but one of the chaplains at the top of the marines is LDS, so we are loved by everyone. (Well almost, but i will get to that later). We baptize them in a tub. It is a little physical therapy pool a little bigger than yalls bathtub at home, but ofcourse deeper. It is pretty sweet. All in all, the MCRD is definitiely where the Lord wants me to be right now. I hope that clears everything up.
(His next answer is in response to my mom telling him about some missionary training DVDs they had watched that took place in Ross's mission)
2. Wow mom and dad, how did yall get a copy of those? They are supposed to be pretty hard to get, but i guess you dont have all of them. There is a "movie" part as well. It is made up of 3 episodes, where it actually is realityTV. And yes, all of those names sound familiar. And i know all but one. I met Elder Bott when he was back here visiting and talked with him for awhile. Elder Murray was the AP when i came in and i talked with and worked with im at Gladys Knight. I spent the day with Elder Moreno last transfer on exchanges (he was an AP) and we became pretty close. We always sat next to each other at training meetings over the past few transfers. He is at home now at BYU, we email back and forth every now and then. Elder Christiansen is one of the APs now. He is a way funny guy and i go on exchanges and work with him at the MCRD and in ZL council. He is pretty cool. Elder Hepworth is a ZL as well, so i have gotten to know him. Sister Voyles and sister Zalivar were in my zone in IB. They are both pretty cool. And i never got to meet Elder Tuituu, he left before i got here and is getting married soon. Elder Bott, murray, tuituu, moreno and sis. zalivar are all home now. I have gotten to meet just a few of the families in the video. The asain guy, Brother Rodriguez and his family. He is still investigating the church, but now is being taught by a missioary in his natvie language, tagalog. Jynx is still being taught by elder christensen. German, the big huge guy, just recently baptized his mom, so that was pretty cool. I have been in all the chapels were they are. In the video, you probably havent seen it since it is in the "movie", they show the branch (which just recently became a ward!!!!) in IB. Those are my people, my branch in that one. All in all, are mission is pretty much the greatest in the world because of Pres. Donaldson. The reason we were chosen was because pres.donaldson was chosen before his mission. His job before the mission was to instruct the 1st presidency and the 12. yeah, he taught them. He was the director over teaching in the church. Something all the missionaries say about him is, "Pres. is so cool, President Eyring wanted to share a sandwich with him." which is ture, they really did share a sandwaich together, more than once. When he talked with Pres. Monson about being a mission president, Pres. Monson told him, "Lee, you are the best teacher in the church, we need you in San Diego. and your calling won't stop there." Its coming from the prophet, so it has to be true.
Anyways, i dont have too muchh to write this week. We just had another surprise baptism. Oriel, the brother of Erwin, decided he wanted to be baptized so we baptized him on sunday! It was pretty cool, both want to receive the PH now. Marc Mandel, my 1st RC athe MCRD, is going to receive the Melchizadeck PH in 2 weeks. he is already talking about going to the temple and everything. So he is still solid and progressing. We have a couple of baptisms coming up at the end of the month (halloween baptisms!!!!) and then a few planned out for early november. Right now, we are focusing on finding more people to baptize and keep the work moving up, without any down points.
Well that is about all i ahve for now. Oh yeah, I told you that almost everybody liked ius at the MCRd. This guy came and started getting mad at us for having our picnic for the marines that graduate. He is some crazy old colonel who thinks he still has power. Well lets jsut say he was "taken care of" At the marine graduation, General Bailey, the commanding general of the MCRD and the marines, came up to the military relations senior couple and asked if everything was going ok for the LDS. They said yeah its ok. he told them, "I heard there is someone that I need to take care off. let me tell you this, if someone messes with my best friends, they mess with me. " and then walked off. So it is pretty coolthat we have the commanding genereal of the marines on our side. Take that Satan!!
I love everybody. Tell everyone i said hey!!
LOve
Ross
Monday, October 18, 2010
Letter from October 12, 2010
Well it sounds like your week was pretty eventful...i bet i can top yours hahaha...you
>have no idea....
1. The next transfers are in 2 weeks...im pretty sure i am safe. My zone right
>now is leading the mission in baptisms per week, so i think that we will stay together
>agin for this next one. Which is fine by me.
2. We have some missionaries that here for a while waiting on visas so me and
>elder guenette had to pick up one that is with us for a while. Then we went and
>shopped and went and played football in chula Vista and now i am here. writing..barely
>awake..im sooo tired.
Well i bet you are wondering how my week could top you week. Buckle you seat
>belts and in the words of T.O. "get your popcorn ready!" My week was
>boring until Saturday, but that is when the fun began!
On Saturday, we went over to Erwin's house about getting him baptized on
>Sunday, and also talk to his brother oriel. Early in the week, on monday, Oriel
>told us he wasnt interested in religion right now. So we focused on Erwin, but
>in every lesson with Erwin that week, Oriel wouild tag along and pay attention.
>The Spirit was working inside of him. We went to the MOBAT on Friday (Thats the
>pic i just sent) and went over on saturday to talk abouut baptism. Erwin said that
>he was not ready, but something told me and Elder Guenette that he was. So we read
>in 3 Nephi 27 and somehow he got a picture of Jesus and started looking at it.
>Elder Guenette asked him "what is Jesus doing in this picture?' "eriwn
>looked and said, "telling us to follow him". I said, "thats right.
>All we have to do is take his outstretched hand and he will take us to the presence
>of our heavenly father. So Erwin, will you take Christ's hand and be baptized
>tmw?" He looked at me and shook his head and said, "Yeah!" It was
>seriously the most spiritual packed lesson i have ever been too. And then, i asked
>Oriel the same question, he didnt say anything. For about 2 minutes we waited.
>Then i asked, "Bro, what is scaring you?" No idea why i asked that but
>i did. He said that he wanted to know more but wants to be baptized soon. So he
>is going to be baptized on sunday, hopefully. So Erwin was baptized on Sunday!
>Then, we had a spanish mission fireside w/pres. and sis donaldson and a bunch of
>members. REcent Converts spoke and as they got up to speak, i realized that i played
>a part in everyone of their conversions. The first one was a RC her in Sweetwater.
>The next was a girl that i found and taught in IB and got baptized after i left,
>and the last was someone i taught a few times in City Heigts. Never had i felt
>so loved. I realized that i had played a part in their salvation. Lets just say
>it was a good feeling.
But i almost forgot something...and you already know it has to do with the MCRD.
>Saturday Night and sunday morning, in my prayers, i asked that i would have a miracle
>at the MCRD. So that morning i was looking for someone to teach and i was looking
>at a list of names with another elder and we botha had a really good feeling about
>1 name: "Daemion Marcuz". So i sat around talking until i saw him. I
>overheard (ok i was stalking) a conversatino he had and someone asked him. "hey
>man did you get baptized up north?" and i swear he said yes. so i was not
>going to talk to him, but i decided it would still be a good idea and i followed
>the feeling. So i went and talked with him and siad, "hey man i heard you
>got baptized up north?" He looked up and said, "naw i was actually hoping
>i could get baptized today." After i picked my jaw off the floor i said, "yeah,
>come with me and we can get you taken care of." THE LORD HEARS AND ANSWERS
>OUR PRAYERS. HE BLESSES US WHEN WE SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP ONE OF HIS CHILDREN
>PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR SALVATION! Words can not explain the Sunday i had....lets
>just say, it was the best since my baptism. O wait i almost forgot, Marc mandel
>(i baptized him a month ago) came up to me and he talked with the branch pres up
>north and he wants to get the melchizadeck priesthood asap. i talked with the military
>relations missionary, he is going to get the MP in 3 weeks. I FREAKIN LOVE THIS
>CHURCH!!!!!
yeah, thats all i got...I LOVE YALL!!
ross
******************************
(In response to Hillary telling Ross he had another new niece...)
WOW!!!! SHE COULDNT WAIT. SHE IS JUST AS IMPATIENT AS HER MOTHER hahahaha now that i am hundreds of miles away and you cant call me...i can really trash talk with you hahahahahah
Naw but really. FELICIDADES! That is way cool.. I now have 2 coolest nieces ever and i havent even talked to them yet. I am expecting them to be able to say my name is 2 months. hahaha everything is going great here. i had 2 baptisms this past weekend, and hopefully have 3 over the next 2 weeks. The work is really booming and we know that it is because the Lord, not us. Love yall and tell lizzie i especially love her
Ross
>have no idea....
1. The next transfers are in 2 weeks...im pretty sure i am safe. My zone right
>now is leading the mission in baptisms per week, so i think that we will stay together
>agin for this next one. Which is fine by me.
2. We have some missionaries that here for a while waiting on visas so me and
>elder guenette had to pick up one that is with us for a while. Then we went and
>shopped and went and played football in chula Vista and now i am here. writing..barely
>awake..im sooo tired.
Well i bet you are wondering how my week could top you week. Buckle you seat
>belts and in the words of T.O. "get your popcorn ready!" My week was
>boring until Saturday, but that is when the fun began!
On Saturday, we went over to Erwin's house about getting him baptized on
>Sunday, and also talk to his brother oriel. Early in the week, on monday, Oriel
>told us he wasnt interested in religion right now. So we focused on Erwin, but
>in every lesson with Erwin that week, Oriel wouild tag along and pay attention.
>The Spirit was working inside of him. We went to the MOBAT on Friday (Thats the
>pic i just sent) and went over on saturday to talk abouut baptism. Erwin said that
>he was not ready, but something told me and Elder Guenette that he was. So we read
>in 3 Nephi 27 and somehow he got a picture of Jesus and started looking at it.
>Elder Guenette asked him "what is Jesus doing in this picture?' "eriwn
>looked and said, "telling us to follow him". I said, "thats right.
>All we have to do is take his outstretched hand and he will take us to the presence
>of our heavenly father. So Erwin, will you take Christ's hand and be baptized
>tmw?" He looked at me and shook his head and said, "Yeah!" It was
>seriously the most spiritual packed lesson i have ever been too. And then, i asked
>Oriel the same question, he didnt say anything. For about 2 minutes we waited.
>Then i asked, "Bro, what is scaring you?" No idea why i asked that but
>i did. He said that he wanted to know more but wants to be baptized soon. So he
>is going to be baptized on sunday, hopefully. So Erwin was baptized on Sunday!
>Then, we had a spanish mission fireside w/pres. and sis donaldson and a bunch of
>members. REcent Converts spoke and as they got up to speak, i realized that i played
>a part in everyone of their conversions. The first one was a RC her in Sweetwater.
>The next was a girl that i found and taught in IB and got baptized after i left,
>and the last was someone i taught a few times in City Heigts. Never had i felt
>so loved. I realized that i had played a part in their salvation. Lets just say
>it was a good feeling.
But i almost forgot something...and you already know it has to do with the MCRD.
>Saturday Night and sunday morning, in my prayers, i asked that i would have a miracle
>at the MCRD. So that morning i was looking for someone to teach and i was looking
>at a list of names with another elder and we botha had a really good feeling about
>1 name: "Daemion Marcuz". So i sat around talking until i saw him. I
>overheard (ok i was stalking) a conversatino he had and someone asked him. "hey
>man did you get baptized up north?" and i swear he said yes. so i was not
>going to talk to him, but i decided it would still be a good idea and i followed
>the feeling. So i went and talked with him and siad, "hey man i heard you
>got baptized up north?" He looked up and said, "naw i was actually hoping
>i could get baptized today." After i picked my jaw off the floor i said, "yeah,
>come with me and we can get you taken care of." THE LORD HEARS AND ANSWERS
>OUR PRAYERS. HE BLESSES US WHEN WE SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP ONE OF HIS CHILDREN
>PROGRESS TOWARDS THEIR SALVATION! Words can not explain the Sunday i had....lets
>just say, it was the best since my baptism. O wait i almost forgot, Marc mandel
>(i baptized him a month ago) came up to me and he talked with the branch pres up
>north and he wants to get the melchizadeck priesthood asap. i talked with the military
>relations missionary, he is going to get the MP in 3 weeks. I FREAKIN LOVE THIS
>CHURCH!!!!!
yeah, thats all i got...I LOVE YALL!!
ross
******************************
(In response to Hillary telling Ross he had another new niece...)
WOW!!!! SHE COULDNT WAIT. SHE IS JUST AS IMPATIENT AS HER MOTHER hahahaha now that i am hundreds of miles away and you cant call me...i can really trash talk with you hahahahahah
Naw but really. FELICIDADES! That is way cool.. I now have 2 coolest nieces ever and i havent even talked to them yet. I am expecting them to be able to say my name is 2 months. hahaha everything is going great here. i had 2 baptisms this past weekend, and hopefully have 3 over the next 2 weeks. The work is really booming and we know that it is because the Lord, not us. Love yall and tell lizzie i especially love her
Ross
Letter from October 5, 2010
1. President goes home in july of 2011...so i will have a new president for the last 6 months. I am not really looking forward to it because me and President have a special bond going and it will be tough to end it with someone else, but that is like 9 months away so i still have a while.
2. My spanish is ok. I can speak and understand everything that people say. Im getting to the point where i dont have to pay attention in church and can still understand hahaha but i always pay attention anyways. haha
Well let me first start out by saying that General Conference as a missionary is a little bit different. Instead of sitting down listening to the choir sing before it starts, I was on the side of the highway. One of the investigators we had going was following us and his tire blew out. So we had to stop and fix it and he still wanted to go after so we went and we missed the opening and elder hollands talk, but Conference was still great. Especially the PH session. Sorry mom, but you missed out. I can honestly say it was probably the best PH session i have ever been too. As a missionary, instead of listening just to listen, you listen for things that will help you grow as a missionary and for things that will help your investigators. That is why I liked it. I havent finished my "top 10" because there are so many good ones to choose from, but i want to talk about 2 special ones that i really liked. The first was D. Todd Christofferson on saturday morning. Consecrating Lives and what it means to truly have your life consecrated to the Lord. Purety, work, respect, Integirty (i am missing one i think). These qualitites are what make up a great missionary. They need to have a pure life and always keep the commandments. They need to work smart, but also like there is no tmw. They need to have respect for their body and appearance. our bodies are houses for our Spirits, like the temple. Meaning, we should be as clean as the temple. And last integrity. I really liked his defintion of integrity. Many people think that they arent accountable to the Lord, but people who know and are accountable to the Lord have integirty. Also, I really liked larry Lawrances talk. While listening, it finally hit me why yall always waited up for me when i was in high school. I always wondered, "why do they feel like they have to wait up for me? Can't i just come in and wake them up when i get home?" During the talk my question was answered. I stayed out of a lot of trouble that i could have gotten into, thanks to yall. I always kneww that when i got home at night, someone was going to be sitting in the chair and was going to ask how my night was. NONE of my other friends mom did this and look where they are and where i am. I am not putting myself on a pedestal or anything, but it is true. i am doing a lot better things with my life than people back in high school. All because of yall. I almost got a little emotinoal when i finally received my answer. It all made sense, so...THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR WAITING UP AT NIGHT. I know that when I am a dad, i will do the same thing. You sacrificed temporary "coolness" for eternal happiness. That is how i look at it.
Well thats about all that i have this week. Thanks for the christmas note. Now i am more christmas trunky than ever hahaha. Thanks for all that yall do and I love yall so much. Tell everyone that i love them and pray for everyone. (not by name, i would be on my knees for a while) hahahahah I LOVE YALL
2. My spanish is ok. I can speak and understand everything that people say. Im getting to the point where i dont have to pay attention in church and can still understand hahaha but i always pay attention anyways. haha
Well let me first start out by saying that General Conference as a missionary is a little bit different. Instead of sitting down listening to the choir sing before it starts, I was on the side of the highway. One of the investigators we had going was following us and his tire blew out. So we had to stop and fix it and he still wanted to go after so we went and we missed the opening and elder hollands talk, but Conference was still great. Especially the PH session. Sorry mom, but you missed out. I can honestly say it was probably the best PH session i have ever been too. As a missionary, instead of listening just to listen, you listen for things that will help you grow as a missionary and for things that will help your investigators. That is why I liked it. I havent finished my "top 10" because there are so many good ones to choose from, but i want to talk about 2 special ones that i really liked. The first was D. Todd Christofferson on saturday morning. Consecrating Lives and what it means to truly have your life consecrated to the Lord. Purety, work, respect, Integirty (i am missing one i think). These qualitites are what make up a great missionary. They need to have a pure life and always keep the commandments. They need to work smart, but also like there is no tmw. They need to have respect for their body and appearance. our bodies are houses for our Spirits, like the temple. Meaning, we should be as clean as the temple. And last integrity. I really liked his defintion of integrity. Many people think that they arent accountable to the Lord, but people who know and are accountable to the Lord have integirty. Also, I really liked larry Lawrances talk. While listening, it finally hit me why yall always waited up for me when i was in high school. I always wondered, "why do they feel like they have to wait up for me? Can't i just come in and wake them up when i get home?" During the talk my question was answered. I stayed out of a lot of trouble that i could have gotten into, thanks to yall. I always kneww that when i got home at night, someone was going to be sitting in the chair and was going to ask how my night was. NONE of my other friends mom did this and look where they are and where i am. I am not putting myself on a pedestal or anything, but it is true. i am doing a lot better things with my life than people back in high school. All because of yall. I almost got a little emotinoal when i finally received my answer. It all made sense, so...THANK YOU MOM AND DAD FOR WAITING UP AT NIGHT. I know that when I am a dad, i will do the same thing. You sacrificed temporary "coolness" for eternal happiness. That is how i look at it.
Well thats about all that i have this week. Thanks for the christmas note. Now i am more christmas trunky than ever hahaha. Thanks for all that yall do and I love yall so much. Tell everyone that i love them and pray for everyone. (not by name, i would be on my knees for a while) hahahahah I LOVE YALL
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Christmas...
It's hard to believe our thoughts are already turning toward Christmas!!! But we received a letter from Ross's mission president recently regarding Christmas presents. He reminded families to send appropriate gifts (especially when it comes to books and music) and that they need to arrive in the San Diego mission home by December 17th. This is when they are having their Christmas celebration and will be the last chance to collect their mail/gifts before Christmas day. Just FYI!
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