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