"You're braver then you believe, stronger then you seem and smarter then you think" -The Search for Christopher Robin

Hey Mom, just really quick since I forgot to tell you in my personal letter Bryce says hello.

I received word this past week that someone I love and care about is having a hard time as of late.   I hope you know, and you know who you are, that you are strong enough to overcome any trial, brave enough to face any storm that life throws your way and smart enough to turn to Heavenly Father and lean on the arm of His Only Begotten Son and come out of any trial you face.   I love you.

This week was great.   A little slow at first what with there being an annual Wine Walk in town, there was a little struggle getting people to talk to us in a friendly way.   Most of it was just people telling us they weren't interested or that they were busy, or things like that.   It got better as the week went on though and we did have some very good days.   The Lord always provides for those who love and serve Him.   We had 21 lessons this week, a little below our average but everyone has those weeks.   We got to give a lot of service this week and things went really well.   We have been having a few struggles with getting investigators to come to church, but we talked with our investigator Thad and he is coming next week and is finely ready to move forward and progress and he wants to change and it is awesome.

 Yes Elder Dean and I were in that service project stuff.   We cleaned up garbage around a school community with some members of the Dry Creek Ward.   We learned today from Presidents email that Just Serve (which is what we have been beta testing for a while now) is being implemented in 20% of the missions world wide.   It is super cool the emphasis on service.   

Elder Dean and I are doing great.   Our Zone Leader asked all of the Missionaries in the Zone to work on improving companion relationships.   So Elder Dean and I took the council of our leaders and have decided to try to improve an already great friendship.   It will be cool to see what comes next from out Leaders.

"Don't you quit.   You keep walking.   There is happiness and help ahead."   -Geoffrey R. Holland

"Let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power and then may we stand still with the utmost assurance to see the Salvation of God and for his arm to be revealed."   -Joseph Smith

"Sometimes the Lord calms the storm, and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms His child."   -Unknown

I know that times can be hard.   I know that life is hard, and things are tough and people are mean and things get said that hurt you.   I know that sometimes it is hard to move forward and have hope.   But I know that if we have hope then we can get through anything.   I know that the Lord is aware of us in all of our heart ache.   I know that Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father care about us and are watching over all of us.   I pray for you in all things.  I know He hears those prayers.   I send you my love and my support and I know he does the same.

"I think all we need now is a plague of Locusts.   AHHH! Thats it, I'm moving to Sparta."

"You heard of the Dream Team?   Well we're the Mean Team.   Yeah, were the Monstars, the M O N.. uhh."

"I didn't know Fa Zu had a son.   He doesn't talk about me much.   I can see why, the boys an absolute lunatic."

I love you.   

VISA NEWS!!!!!

Hey Momma you will never guess what!

My Visa just arrived!   President gave us a call today and told us that my Visa is here.   I am flying out on May 26th, the final Monday of the Transfer.   He said they will be working out the details and all that good stuff.   He told me to email and let you know that it has come through.   I will be sending some stuff home most likely when it gets closer to the time that I will be leaving for Africa.   Don't feel bad about not emailing me on Monday.   I got your letter from the 16th.   Stay strong Momma.   I am always sending you my love and support.  I love you so much.  

Sleep well and wake Shade of my Heart.   I hope you get this soon.

"I wasn't scared! I have... allergies." -Monsters Inc. "Hahaha its your birthday?"

Not much new to report on the Area this week.   We had 28 lessons,and we keep getting bad numbers.   People seem like they want to know more, agree to us coming over, and they give us a number, and they either never answer or it has been disconnected.   What is that?   But it is okay, we have plenty to do.   We are working on an "open list" from Cherry glen which is basically everyone the Ward knows nothing about except that we have their records.   So we are trying to visit them and have had some success.   We did a great service on Saturday helping to raise money for a girl with some disease that makes it so she has to go to Utah every year to receive some expensive treatments.   It was amazing to see the community rally around the family and the girl.   

Elder Dean is doing great.   He is a super great missionary.   He really just has the best attitude about the work and he is so positive.   I love being his companion.   We have a lot of fun, we have some inside jokes and it is super cool.   It is nice being able to be in the same area with the same companion for more then six weeks.  

"He is risen, He is risen, tell it out with joyful voice!   He has burst his three days prison, let the whole wide world rejoice.   Death is conquered man is free Christ has won the victory!"

Hymn book 199

I think that sums it up nicely.   The Easter season is all about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   Not a bunny.   Jesus is the Christ.   He is the Savior of the World.   He has been Resurrected and so can we.   I know that it is true.   I know He lives and loves us all.   I know that we can all feel of His love.   I know that He will one day come again in power and great glory.   

"oh sure, she brought a sword.   If you ask me she should have brought home a... excuse me?"

Pictures from Andrew

       

 Andrew's Birthday photo.

 Andrew and Elder Dean and Sis. Benally's Granddaughter

 Andrew and his Zone...

"That and someone stole my bike [seat]. - Meet the Robinsons "Guys, order another round cause [I'm] staying here!" -Bugs Life

Well this was a good week.   Transfer calls went out on Saturday and I am not being Transferred.   Yep I get to stay in great, beautiful Cherry Glen/Dry Creek California.   That will be great we have some great investigators and they are coming along great.   On Saturday night me and Elder Dean were out contacting and when we got back to our bikes someone had taken my bike seat.   It was one of those "easy removal" ones and we looked around and couldn't find it.   So yeah, that was interesting.   I am asking my Mission President what he thinks I should do, buy a new bike seat or just trade bikes.   So Momma, could you make sure there is some money on my card?   Bike repairs/replacements falls under the category of "Missionary uses own money" thing.   I have no idea what the plan is.  Knowing President Watkins he might just have me swap bikes or some such thing.   Don't panic, don't freak out, don't worry.   Everything is great and we are in the car right now anyways so it will all be great.   

We had two investigators at Church yesterday.   It was great.   One of them we have been trying to get here for a while and he finely came!   I am so happy.   Now we just have to keep the momentum going.   Which will be great.   The other one is thinking of a Baptismal date, and he is loving everything he gets taught.   He went to Conference and he has been reading books by big Church people and it is all great.   Our other Investigator Paul has moved to the Campbell ward, about ten to fifteen minuets away from us.   Last night we called the Bishop of that area and gave him all the information on Paul so he will be picked up and taken care of over there.   

Elder Dean and I have been great.   He is a wonderful Elder and I am really happy to be his companion for another six weeks.   We do have our differences but that is okay, cause we work together well, and we have a lot of fun while doing it.   We joke and really enjoy going about this work.   

"Do what God tells  you to do now, and depend upon this, you will be shown what to do next."   -Elisabeth Elliot

"Have the love for the Lord to be obedient, even if you don't know why."  -Sister Watkins

We had Zone Training Meeting last week.   Sister Watkins talked with us about the importance of being obedient even when we don't think the rule applies to us or don't know why it is a rule.   She told us that the Lord commands us to do things, and He knows the end from the beginning.   We don't.   All through the Scriptures we see people doing as the Lord Commands and getting blessed for it, even when it doesn't seem to make sense.   Look at Joshua and Jerico.   I don't really know much about millitary stuff, but I am pretty sure the command to march around a wall and then yell at it might have been a little bit of a weird strategy to win the fight.   But because he was obedient, Joshua was able to lead the Children of Isreal under God's command, to victory.   I know that the Lord is in charge and aware of us all.   I know He has a plan for each of us and that if we trust Him all will be well.   

I love you all.

"In a few hours you'll be making nice hot s'moes"

"But its a rock.   I know its a rock!"

"Oh I'm sorry did I scare you?   Well a little bit, but I'll be alright."

"I love you [missionaries] and I love you random citizen" Megamind "This is my new favorite moment in Human HIstory. Unless this is the one where [the Elder's Investigator goes missing]. Almost [lost him]. That was a close one." Men in Black 3

First off today I have been told is my 174th day in the Mission Field.   And tomorrow I turn 20 years old.   Two Decades.   Wow how time flies.   Can't hardly believe it.

We have had a lot of random people thank us for what we do, give us gift cards, and tell us how much our parents must be proud of us and it is just awesome how many people we don't know truly recognize us as what we are: Missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.   It is great.   

We almost lost our investigator Paul.   He is moving out, or has probably finished moving out of his house.   So we went over to see how he was doing, and he wasn't home.   So we went to where we thought he was moving to but we didn't find him.   So Elder Dean and I said a lot of prayers to be able to find him, but couldn't find him all day long.   So that all happened on Saturday.   On Sunday after a great General Conference Session we went to try at his house one more time.   We prayed before we went and knocked on his door, and then we knocked.   And much to our joy he was home.   His move in was approved and he and his family are getting settled in.   We think he may be out of our area, into another wards area, but that is a bridge we will cross if and when we need to.   We picked up a new investigator yesterday night.   His name is Robert, his wife is a member and he agreed to read and pray about the Book of Mormon.   He is super prepared and had lots of great questions about missionary work.   I love it.   Super great guy, super great family and the Work of the Lord is nothing short of a miracle.

"We are a Temple building and a Temple attending Church." President Thomas S. Monson

I think that sums it up.   We have in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 142 functioning Temples and when all the ones that are being worked on are finished we will have close to 170 on the Earth.   I got to go to the Temple on Friday and I loved it.   

People may try to say that this isn't the Lords work, or that Joseph Smith wasn't a Prophet of God, or that Temples are just buildings, but once you feel the strength of the Spirit that is on Temple grounds you know with out a doubt that those buildings are the House of the Lord.   I know that the Temple is the House of God, and that inside of it we can receive sacred blessings that can allow us to return to God's presence and there stay for all of Time and Eternity.   I love to see the Temples, I love to go into them to worship my Heavenly Father, and I love the Spirit and Strength that I feel inside of them.  

"Why did the Hero flush the toilet?... Say why.   Why.   It was his duty!"

"Hey its the Stomper.   I love how this guy talks.   LOOK... AT...THIS...FLOWER....I...HURT...MY...ELBOW"

"Kid rule number 14!  Right rule number 14 a hero's only as good as his weapon."

"Kid concentrate!   Use your head!... Not bad kid not bad, not what I had in mind, but not bad."

"Kids a little punch Drunk. One to many hits in the head with a snake." -Aladin

No real reason behind that quote, I just love it.

Great week this week.   35 Lessons, 23 Baptismal Invitations and lots of service, contacts and great people.   Our Investigator Paul has a new Baptismal date for the 26th of April, if not a little sooner, and the wards are really starting to take a more active role in the work of the Lord.   We meet a lot of great people on the street, lots of people who want to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.   We also seem to meet a lot of Drunk people.   Like of all kinds, happy drunks, sad drunks, angry drunks, weepy drunks, flirty drunks, I mean it is ridiculous.   If I have learned something from all the drunks out here it is that Alcohol is STUPID!!!!   I mean you wouldn't believe how many people out here are drunk by three o'clock in the afternoon.   That is taking "it's five O'clock somewhere" way to far.   But those are few and far between, and we have learned to recognise the obvious signs when someone is drunk, and usually we just offer them a card, but some of them try to talk with us.   We meet some girls a few days ago, who if they hadn't of been obviously intoxicated might have made for a decent discussion that could have led to them wanting to know more, but they couldn't seem to stand upright, they did't really stop talking and we needed to get home, and when we offered them a copy of the Book of Mormon they suddenly didn't want to talk anymore.   Oh well, people are interesting.   

Elder Dean and I are doing great.   We got to bear our testimonies yesterday in Church, and are going to be going to the Oakland Temple soon. I am so excited to go to the Temple.   It will be great.   We are going on Exchanges tonight with the Assistants to the President.   It will be cool.   Exchanges are when two missionaries swap areas for 24 hours, and it is a great opportunity to learn and to grow and to make friendships.   I am super excited for it.   

I got a lot of these so bare with me here.

"The greatest blessings that come from Conference are received when it is finished... We gather to hear the Word of the Lord.   We return to our homes to live them."   Elder Robert D. Hales

"I promise you that one day you will stand aside and look back at your hard times and realise He was always with you." President Thomas S. Monson.

"Above all, never lose faith in your Father in Heaven, who loves you more then you can understand." Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Hope is never lost." Jeffrey R. Holland

"No matter how many times you have slipped or fallen stand up... you are more capable then you can imagine...you can do it now." President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"There are lives to change, heats to touch, spirits to strengthen." President Thomas S. Monson

We have a wonderful opportunity given to us this week end.   The Prophet of God and the Apostles and all the leaders of the Church are going to speak to us.   They are going to give us council on how to live out our lives in the way that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ want us to.   They will speak to each of us, in a big way or a little way, that will tell us that they are who they say they are.   They are who they claim to be.   I got to shake the hand of Elder Cook.   I add my witness to that of countless others who testify that Thomas S. Monson  is the Prophet of God.   God speaks to him and he tells us what God wants us to know.   These are the men called to be Special Witnesses of Christ.   I know that as we listen to them we will be guided and protected.   When you listen to the Prophet, when you do what he instructs you can not fall off the path.   I know this to be true.   I testify that God lives, and the Jesus is the Christ, and that they speak to us in this day through the Prophets.  

I love you all.   Have a great week.