Monday, April 17, 2017

April 3, 2017

New Elder from New Zealand in the middle by Jackson 

 Eating a fresh Mango
It was another busy week. They seem to fly by!  Carson had practice on Monday, Tuesday he worked with dad in the cage and pitched some. Wednesday they worked in the cage again and Sean came over for a while. He's doing great.  We left about 1030 Thursday morning for Mesquite. Carson had to be there to warm up at 4. The weather at home was terrible!  The wind was blowing, pouring rain, and cold. We were hoping for some nice weather but were sorely disappointed 😭. Landen's games were at 11 and 3, so Jolene and Kevin left Wednesday after work and went down. So I had asked Jolene what the weather was like when we left. She said it was nice.  So I was hopeful. We drove out if he rain about salt lake and drove into the wind about Fillmore. It was super gusty and blowing hard. It stayed with us the whole way there. There were high wind warnings till 11pm Thursday night. We watched part of Landen's game when we got there and the wind was blowing hard. I felt like I was in a sandblaster. I needed a scraper for my teeth😬.Just as Carson's game started it started to rain. And rain it did. Poured. They played their first game against the Colorado west lookouts. They played well. Carson had an error in 3rd where he was set up perfect to field the ground ball but didn't have his mitt on the ground and the ball rolled right under. He hit well. And actually got the walk off hit that scored a run and won the game. They played the Morgan Trojans for their 2nd game. Carson got to start pitching and did well. He pitched 2 innings.  They scored one run on him on a kid that got on base with a dropped 3rd strike. So all in all very good. He hit well in that game too.The wind died down about mid-way through the 2nd game but the rain didn't really let up. The rain was leaking through the umbrella it had rained so hard.We stayed in Mesquite so our hotel was just around the corner from the park which was nice. Friday morning we left to head to St George to be to Carson's warm up time for noon. And just as we left they texted and said the games were pushed back an hour  so we figured we would go watch Landen's games for a while. His games were pushed back an hour as well so we watched most of his first game and about 1/3 of the 2nd before we had to leave with Carson.  They played the Yetis first and won. And then they played Idaho Prime. They lost that game before they stepped out on the field.  Carson played well. He hit and got hit square in the back on purpose. They were kind of a low rent team. They were good but really had some bad practices. I'm sure dad told you all about it. So they lost that game. They went 3-1 for the tournament and made it to the championship. They played the Naturals and lost on Saturday morning in mesquite but it was a good tournament for them. And they had fun. And it was finally sunny on Saturday and snowing at home so we decided to stay. We went to St George to chili's for  lunch with Kevin and Jolene and then hiked around the red rocks for a while went and got ice cream at the iceberg and went back to mesquite to the hotel. The kids swam and played pickle ball. They opened a new hotel there that has a baseball field, batting cage, pool, pickleball, basketball, horseshoes, they are working on an indoor basketball, soccer, place too. It's a pretty cool place for kids. No casinos or smoking. And it wasn't super expensive. We listened to/ watched conference on my phone while we soaked up some sun before leaving on Sunday. And then listened to the 2nd session in the car in the way home.There were a couple talks that I really connected with. The one by the Latino 70 I think he is. His talk reminded me of some of the things your investigators have said about not having an answer yet. Basically he said he finally read the Book of Mormon and prayed. And got his answer. And the talk by elder Stevenson about the Holy Ghost and how it can help you.How does the Holy Ghost help you?  I think I will have to put that one on true mirror so we can remember and think about it each day. I always enjoy conference but I don't remember a lot so I like to pick a talk and listen to it a few times during the week and see what I can put into my mind and learn the things I am supposed to learn from it. It takes a while and I probably don't re listen to all the talks from conference and definitely not as much as I did when I was preparing young women lessons but it helps me remember and think about things that I probably wouldn't normally do. And keeps me centered and more focused on good things instead of things that aren't important. I hope that you were able to enjoy conference with some investigators. The spirit is definitely at work in our lives. 
Hopefully you have worked out a schedule and are not worried about a leadership position. As president ferry said. Don't aspire to callings. They will come as they are supposed to. Just work your hardest and do what YOU need to do to make you the best you can be. That means humbling yourself and taking counsel from the mission president and maybe your companion. Try to learn all you can from those around you and check your attitude and pride at the door. I know it's hard sometimes, but just because you don't get the leadership calling doesn't mean you can't do it or aren't just as qualified to do it. That's not how callings work.  I know you already know all this. And I know it's easier said than done. But I know you can do anything that you set your mind and heart to do. Work hard, be kind, love the people. Remember we love you and pray for you always.
Love
Mom
So this week we did really good. We got a lot of people to accept baptismal dates. These people that we have been finding are amazing people. They are humbled to do the Lords will and that's all you can ask for right? I don't know but I am in love with this place. I do love my companion for all of those who just think I hate him. I just have a hard time with his decisions. He doesn't have a lot of time in the mission and doesn't make the wisest decisions. I try to help him and everything but sometimes he thinks because he is DL he is smarter then the things don't work out. Anyways... I am having a great time. I love the mission you learn how much the gospel really means to you and how much it can help you. This conference I learned a lot. I cant even tell you my favorite talk. But I will have to read and study the talks more. But this conference was awesome. I will let you know in coming weeks what one was my favorite. Here is a picture of a mango and this is a picture of the kid from New Zealand who is my best friend! Love you!!!!
7
Voice recording:

Well, we had a successful week, I would say.  It was General Conference.  I really liked it.  Wow!  It was really, really good.  It was incredible.  It was amazing General Conference was.  But that was at the end of the week, so we'll get to that in a minute.
So Pday, the first Pday of the change, we got in to the stake center and we played a little bit of soccer and then.  I was just passing the ball because I'm not very good at soccer and everything but it was really cool because we have an elder that is from New Zealand and Wow, this guy is awesome! He's Brand, brand new and the ex zone leader from Blanding Utah- He's really cool too, he's training him  this change and then he's going home this change too, Elder Palmer.  So, this guy, my companion is still crazy and everything.  He's like oh, we need to change the dinner time and everything and it's like wow dude!  you need to chill out!  But it's alright.
We contacted on Monday because, I mean, it was just, there was nothing to do because we didn't have any lessons.
Tuesday we did some service.  We made mops with an investigator in Apopa.  With Elder Palmer and Elder Latu?  Their investigator.  It was really cool.  Then we went to our investigator, her name is Isabel and we shared lesson 1 and they accepted a baptismal date and everything.  They are really good people.  And then we went to one dude and he's like he's crazy.  We taught him exactly what we do and he's like no you guys, you worship Joseph Smith and I mean like that's not ok.  I know the commandments and that's not ok.  I was like you heard me pray, I didn't worship Joseph Smith.  Anyways.
Then we went to Sabrina's and we even found Alex reading the Book of Mormon and everything, it was awesome and we put another baptismal date with them, April 22nd and we hope that is the last one.  Then we found another funny guy.  So we were talking about the true church, and that Joseph Smith wanted to know what the true church was and he goes the Catholic Church and I laughed and we finished the lesson and he accepted a baptismal date too.  It was pretty cool.  He wanted to be baptized and everything, but we'll see how it goes.
The next day I was with Elder Latu in Divisions (Splits) oh wow it was super fun.  I mean he doesn't talk like Spanish obviously at all.  but he tries his best and he contacts and he just takes the things that they are doing and he starts doing them for them.  Like if they're watering their garden,  he'll take the hose and start watering the garden for them while I talk to them.  I was like oh alright.  it was funny, A drunk guy wanted to talk to us.  He said he was in the army and everything and he lifted up his shirt and he didn't have a tattoo or anything, like he might have had a little one.  but he's like hey, take a picture, take a picture.  And we sat him down and I took away his alcohol like a 1/2 bottle of alcohol - it's like 50% alcohol here, it's stronger than vodka, and I took it from him and I dumped it out in front of him.  And he was like no, no, why'd you do that?  And I was like because Im helping you keep a commandment and he was like oh, ok.  and then we ended the changes and the next day, we started committing people for conference.  We were teaching a lot of people we found a 17 year old.  His name is Oscar he's the nephew of Alejandro, mas or menos, he's a little tough.  But I think we can get to him with Alejandro.  We finished the month of March on Friday and we visited Martinez again and he is really good.  We also visited a recent convert family that has been recently less active. but they're really amazing they are the Hernandez Family.  They are extraordinary, like the are just so nice and friendly that it's amazing. then we went looking for somebody but he wasn't there and we found another investigator that's really good, I forgot his name, but he should be really good.
Then Conference, wow conference.  Wow.  Like I said, it was amazing.  I really liked the ones about the spirit and how they said we need to rely on the spirit.  Like Elder Rasband's was amazing, I really liked that talk.  and there were some really good talks on Saturday from the 70's.  the 70' had some really good talks.  And I really liked how Pocatello, ID is going to get a temple.  That was really cool to find that out.  Oh even Alex and Sabrina went to General conference.  and they're struggling with the Book of Mormon and they went to the conference when President Monsen talked about the Book of Mormon.  I was really happy about that.  That was really cool.  I was pretty proud about that, and I hope that they get baptized in the next few weeks.
That's all I did this week.  I had a great time this week, trying at least.  Well that's all I've got to say.  This is my jam and this is for you guys.  I love you guys!  See Ya!

Mom:  So how was your week?  How was conference?

Jackson:  It was great :) I am so happy that we watched it. But wow it was amazing

Mom:  It was!-- Each talk I listened to, I heard something that would help me and also listened for things that might help you.  There was so much- like always- that we can use to make us better people.

Jackson:  They were really good. I think I filled like 10 pages of notes for all the conferences.

Mom:  I didn't take any notes, so I'll have to go back and listen to them all again because I don't remember much :)  It's that old age thing again.  We missed Saturday's sessions because Carson was playing ball and they missed Priesthood meeting too.  That was kind of sad because that is dad's favorite session.  I guess we'll have to take Sunday afternoons and listen to a talk a week for a while.  (like I could get either of them to do that. :()

Jackson:  Hahha wow but priesthood session was incredible. hey did Lexie really get engaged...?

Mom:  She did.  On Saturday.  You aren't surprised are you?  I'm not even one little bit.  I never thought she would make it more than a year before she got married.  She seems happy and he seems nice.  He's a wrestler at UVU so he'll fit right in the family.   Life moves and changes pretty fast.  Heck- she could have a baby before you guys all get home.

Jackson:  I want permission to call at the same time as Chance or Andy... So I could talk to them. Oh did you know the comp of Cameron is from my stake?

Mom:    I'm glad that you don't hate your companion.  You have already learned that it definitely doesn't help you get in doors when you don't have the spirit with you as a companionship.
I don't know how you would do that unless we all hung out at the same houses so I would guess that isn't going to happen. 
That's pretty cool.  I'll let Nicole know that. 

Jackson:  I don't know if he still is his comp. But I got the letter from the Bown's and then I saw it.

Mom:  That's cool you got the letter from Becky.  I keep wondering if you get them or not.
I don't know how much time you have left. But have a great week.  Keep up the good work and get along with your companion.  
Love you.

Jackson:  Love you mommy!!! Have a great week :)  

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