Labor Day 2011

What’s up Mom & Dad!

I’m sure Elder Lofthouse will love the Harbor Surfboard shirt. I haven’t seen him or heard from him since transfers but I expected that haha. He says he’s horrible at keeping in contact so forget that kid. And yeah I’m sure you all are very very white compared to Dylan’s mission to Kenya! Thanks for the money! It’s pretty hard to live on the budget they give us. They just gave us more money today so we can eat healthier and buy better quality food. :) So I’m happy about that! The Traeger smoker sounds awesome. I want some food off that thing when I get home ok? And Zac and JT have their papers in and are just waiting for their calls??? Oh shoot!!!!!! I’m excited for them! I wrote Zac yesterday but i didn’t write JT because I thought he was back at school and I don’t know his school address haha.

We got rain this week........lets just say Saturday was 100 degrees and freakin hot! Sunday was like 80 and sprinkling. Then Sunday night it started pouring and didn’t stop until Monday night. 22 hours straight pouring rain!! And it’s freezing out here now! 60 degrees and when I was riding my bike in the rain yesterday, I actually had to get my raincoat out! It was sooo cold I forgot what it felt like but i didn’t like it haha. I’m used to hot rain, not this cold crap that makes my nose run....not fun. It’s all good now though. it feels like home outside! Nice and cold and crisp in the morning then when you walk into the sun you get all warm! I haven’t felt that since Utah! The humidity makes you warm even when you’re in the shade. So yeah the weather is changing and leaves are turning yellow.

I did not get to go to the BYU Football fireside. I was busy knocking on doors haha. I saw the game on at almost every house I went to though so I knew the score :) Most people are Mississippi State University fans so they said "Tell your boys to keep beating Ole Miss every time they play them". That’s cool that Jackie might come over for dinner on Wednesday! Do you guys still talk to her a lot? You need to haha. And dad may get a haircut by her??? Shoot I never thought dad would leave Fantastic Sam’s in his life! You both are teaching this Sunday School class? That’s cool that it’s on strengthening marriage! You guys need that ;) haha How is Connor liking football? Is his team any good? How are the Kingsbury’s doing? and Norwalk sounds funny haha.

I love the people here :) Elder Holley fell off his bike and got a concussion a week before he got chained up with me. He has a hard time remembering stuff and concentrating now so I think he must have fallen down real good. I hope I get my package from you tomorrow too! I’m going to the temple tomorrow and it SHOULD be there but I’m not positive. I’m so excited to go to the temple and just relax for 2 hours and soak it all up. Plus I’ll get to see all my old MTC roommates. Every single one of them are in my zone and that’s who we go to the temple with.

The team up with Elder Clanton was sooooo fun! I went to his area, Starkville, Mississippi and it’s where MSU is. So it is a typical college town and a bunch of people my age and not ghetto at all. We tracted around and taught some lessons and I was doing better than average. I was like, man I need to always be like this! I was talking to everyone and just loving everyone. This little black kid AJ, was about 3 years old, followed me around and wore my bike helmet haha. He was so cute. Then he wanted water so he drank from my camelback haha. He was awesome. Elder Clanton also knows a little sign language and we taught a deaf lady! It’s one of his progressing investigators that he tracted into a couple of weeks ago. It was cool to see how the Lord puts people where YOU can help them.

For dinner we went to MSU's cafeteria or Student Union or whatever it’s called. So I got some Panda Express while we waited for an investigator to show up and talk to us. She wanted to meet there. It was funny though because as soon as we walked in everyone, I mean everyone, started staring at us and we just walk through the crowd to eat like it was no biggie haha. I love being stared at as a missionary because it means the church is getting some attention and it’s not horrible haha. So the exchange was way fun and I learned I just need to be myself more and have a good attitude and people will love me and be more receptive to my message. Elder Holley and I are continuing to improve our relationship and things aren’t horrible anymore. I’m really just trying to be the best companion I can be and not worry about him anymore. Because if I’m just a good example he'll end up following eventually haha. We’ll see how it works out. Vincent never showed up to the corner. I was bummed haha. Send them family pictures out ASAP! All the missionaries ask to see them and I’m like uhhhh. So yeah I need to have some for that reason and I just want to look at your cute faces every once in a while. :) Put Elder on the scriptures and don’t worry about tabs or anything. I can find whatever I’m looking for without tabs and it looks better without them. I’m glad Christina put those pictures up on Facebook! She still hasn’t called us but whatever I need to find people to teach haha. I don’t know what else to say I only have 3 minutes left but I’m working hard and trying to rely on the spirit more. Keep praying for me and tell everyone back home I miss them. Stay happy and enjoy teaching class together. It’s all about being a strong, happy family so keep it up but! I’ll talk to you guys soon and keep you in my prayers. Send those scriptures when you get a chance. No rush and ask dad if you knows Joe Geer? He said he used to work at Northrop and I ran into a co-worker of his this week. Said he worked on F-35

Love you!!!!