This weeks letter is really short because we had a 2 hour phone call over Skype on Christmas. Michael is doing great, and we are so proud of him!!

Hey again.

Yeah it was good. too bad we aren't quiet or anything. haha. That's way cool that you guys were able to have people over and stuff. Last night we ate with a family where 3 of their 4 oldest are married and I was just like yes! this is how legit it is going to be when we are all old and married. it's going to be a Party! yeah buddy haha.

How does that not surprise me? Jerimiah not talk that much in front of people. I think I'm going to do less than ten when I get home haha! Thats cool though that Blake has got his call. it's good to know though that I'm not missing much because everyone is going on their missions and doing the good stuff too. haha is ethan in where ever he is already?

Ammon can get his permit now... are you going to let him? haha man that is weird, he will be driving for almost a year when I get home. hopefully he doesn't wreck too bad. haha I miss in n out. maybe a double double animal style? I think so? haha. Congrats to matthew. not much really more to say. it was a super quiet week. so well see what this one hold for us yeah?

Much love!

Michael

Hey Guys!

My Body is numb now, SO, It's not really cold anymore, Utah winters are worse, at least snow-wise, lately we have been blessed with a lot of teaching appointments so we don't have to be outside to much. it's great! yes, Lucky me, I get to cruise around in a quick mazda 3! haha Yeah, Totally, of course I write in my Journal, every night! I try to do work! ha it really was amazing. It's super easy go go with the flow and start going through the motions, that's super true. we had a meeting with our zone this last saturday and they talked about purpose, and having purpose in all things that we do. Having purpose is Vital, if you don't have purpose, why are you doing those things you are doing? you have to really step back and think about it and find your purpose and really understand it. that way you grow, and become a better person, really you come closer to God.

Thank you for talking to Jana for me, that will really come in handy one day. I promise I won't open it. the other ones I just open one a day. so it's all good. oh yeah, one more thing... ha I am horrible at taking pictures, so maybe if I had a camera that I could fit in my pocket I would be more motivated to take pictures, this thing is so big, it's harder to take pictures, I will try to send my memory card this week. We have a place to go, and they said we are welcome all day, so we will probably be there for the majority of the day. I will call at noon mountain standard time. so it will be 2 here. So, if you would like, Pick up the phone then. we don't really have a time limit, the members are going to allow us to call on one of their phones that i'm sure have free long distance too. most cell carriers do that. (and they are pretty well off too, so I'm sure it's not going to be a problem, but mind you, I'm only a man of so many words! haha).

Still talking about christmas, will you let people know where I am? Shelly Rampton sent a package to St. Marys. I haven't been there in two months... so if they don't know where I am and they want to send me something, have them ask you so you can give them my address. if all else fails, let them know the mission office address.

You tempted me. I watched the video. even though I probably shouldn't have haha. he does good! especially wrestling guys who are 35 pounds heavier and probably jr.'s and Sr.'s. he is going to trash me when I get home. especially if I eat all the junk food I get sent! I took a picture of it so when you get my memory card you can see. it's out of control really.

Speaking of missions, Chet got his call! he is going to Tacoma Washington! super cool I hope he does well. I'm really happy to see everyone leaving and doing what is right.

Matthew better get good at basketball, because i'm going to be good, because that's all that missionaries do, is play basketball, so hopefully he can keep up with me, I'm gonna be like kobe! haha. who know's though.

Yeah, the Talbert lady's sister is in the ward, she is really nice. I have talked to her a few times. no, I didn't tell them those things! haha You and shelley are getting to be good friends huh? well that's good, just don't corrupt her... haha! That's crazy, haha you guys almost got fined for that much, hahaha geez! I'm glad that you got to see that, those things are always amazing. if you can ever go to the Tabernacle Choir while they are singing with Andre Bocelli, you should go, they do a great job together, Andre is super talented. yeah, it's true, no one ever speaks without a teleprompter, especially singers haha, they can't adlib! haha man. I'm going to be such a molly mormon when I get home. You are all going to be embarrassed to be around me. psh, Maybe I will just stay a missionary. I love being a missionary, it really is a blast and it helps me so much, it is just so fulfilling, it's really quite an adventure also.

I have two stockings now. I'm so pampered here. haha it's almost better than having one loving mom, because I have a bunch of moms who treat me as a step-child, haha did that sound bad? I hope not, but yeah, This ward is really amazing, I'm not going to lie. so yeah I love being a missionary! (is that nerdy? it better not be, I'm a representative of Jesus Christ!) ;P

Eat lots of food for me, okay? you know you are going to want to. mushrooms, deviled eggs, and all that other good stuff you make! why is that weird that you hung my stocking? I'm still part of the family aren't I? It's not like I automatically become dis-owned when I leave. geez guys! haha.

So yesterday we had our christmas devotional with president sorenson, it went really well. not according to plan, but still it went well. nothing goes according to plan these days anyways! it was really good, not as good as I hoped, I was super nervous for it, especially because two of the speakers didn't show up until right at 7! shoot. we were going to show a video titled what shall we give on LDS.org its the christmas message put out by the church for this month and it's super powerful and it drives home the meaning of christmas, you should watch it! this next week might be a bit rough, but that's okay, it's only because of christmas, not because we aren't loved, people just haven't really decided to make us a priority just yet, so hopefully it happens soon haha

nothing else too new here anyways. so I guess until Saturday at noon (mountain time) it will be 2 here. so yeah. later!

Love Michael

Hey dad,



You aren't using the Snow-blower? How did I know that you would use the tractor! haha go figure. I sure hope those little guys will last, they are getting put through a lot. the weather here isn't bad, it doesn't snow like it does in utah, nor do I think it will. It only gets cold, but I can put up with that, because hopefully i will stay successful and we don't have to be outside too much.

I should get everything in time if it is going to be sent today. so it's all good here. I have recieved a lot of socks and candy, So now I guess you could say I have A Plethora? haha



Shoot, I hope there are days where you can get it done, did you get to patch that mark i Made on the lower beam? I don't want you to forget about that...



I have seen bits and peices of the best two years, that really would be hard, there is no lie there. but that's okay, we are doing well here and I would much rather be in asia... ( like hong kong!) ha



Yep, mom let me know all of that, so I will be calling christmas day, around noon mountain time. so plan on that. and thanks for the reminder, because I did forget what the number was!



Love ya, Michael

Dear Family.

I'm an eskimo. It is 18 Degrees today, that is the high, the low? 11, add in the wind chill and the lake effect, probably in the negatives.

No more kisses, nope not at all. ha.I do remember giving out hugs and kisses on valentines day. I always kept the hugs but freely gave the kisses (Hugs taste better you know...) ha Lucky you, Enjoying the warmth. man it's been in the 20's and 30's forever! it was 35 saturday when we went to Kirtland and it was Warm! haha man.

I'm Glad Grandpa is feeling better, Sadly, you can't fight age. Especially when you have MS. it's going to be hard for him to accept because he is so headstrong. I'm not saying that is always bad, it can be good at times though. ha. I can't believe that he fell so much though. man, that's really not good. I'm glad to hear that he didn't get hurt though. you need to tell him when it starts to snow he just needs to stay inside and only go out with help. he wont like it, but he doesn't want to fall either though. so hopefully he can learn ;) He is going to be living with you guys when Iget home right? I mean he better be. shoot! ah, get him in! haha has Scott had any other Job interviews? I hope he can get one.

How much does Ammon weigh? man, what the heck! Ha since when is he this good? what a stud! That's really cool though, a packed gym and a freshman putting up points to help them beat the Reigning state champs. that's great! well, lookie here. I think Ammon is going to start to like Wrestling again, I mean he is winning right? haha. Remember when I would tell you not to come to things and I was always right? strange that Ammon was wrong. haha I'm glad he is doing well. that's always good. is he going to Webbs workouts? early mornings and the LaMonts? he better be haha!

Is Elder Jensen an area authority? Because an Elder Jensen is the Area authority over our mission. President Sorenson speaks to him quite often, in fact. He had to talk to him to get permission from the Bretheren for what we did this week.

That's interesting though, I never would have guessed that they wanted to have GA's at more meetings. huh, it does sound like another stake conference. oh well, usually they do pretty well at telling us to to. I mean they are General Authorities haha.

Yeah, Christmas is soon, It's different. I will call on christmas, that's about all I know. I will be able to talk to you guys then, haha I will know by next week how it's going to go. I'm pretty sure when I call we will be at a members home, so I still need to talk to them to see when they want us over so I can tell you when I'm going to call, don't forget that we are a couple hours ahead of you guys too. ;) odds are you will still be awake, I mean you guys all wake up at four in the morning to open presents anyway! haha maybe I will get you my memory card before then as your present. I'm bad at taking pictures, so just keep that in mind. I will try to get it to you soon though. but do promise me this! it wont be a lame talk like it was in the airport a few months ago! haha. we are going to be taken care of well. the relief society presidency is even making us stockings! haha sweet huh? we are having a good time!

So, Back to Elder Jensen....

back on tuesday we had what is called a misison conference. this is where three zones (three Stakes) get together and meet. For the first meeting we were in the Kirtland Temple. Oh my goodness. that was so powerful, everyone was like yeah, I bet there are going to be angels here like when Joseph gave the dedicatory prayer. all this jazz and stuff. well...

You could feel that people were there even before we started. it was amazing. President Sorensen went all the way up to the top to get permission for us to have the sacrament in the temple. man, what an experience. How many people can say that they have done that!? I Can! ha oh yes. I learned a lot and really, I could feel that Angels were there. the Holy Ghost was there, Possibly even Brother Joseph watching us continue the work that he was able to restore. at the very end we were all in the corners where the choirs sat and sang hymn number two, the spirit of God. That was so so so powerful. never in my life have I felt something like that before. it was really amazing. I don't know how the man who runs it (he is a member of the community of Christ) doesn't know that this is the true church, that feeling there was just really beyond belief. I really just cannot put it in words to do it justice. being in this misison is such a blessing. I have definitley gained a testimony of Joseph Smith and all of the things that went on in kirtland. I have learned so much and I would never trade it for anything.

By the way. I was thinking. have you talked to Jana lately? Because I would really like a copy of Alex's testimony, I don't know when It's going to come in handy, but i do know it will. nothing is more powerful than a testimony.

Well, Guess what?! I get to go lift today! one of the members has a gym in his house and invited us to go work out with him so of course, we are going to take him up on that offer! ha oh yes. I'm so excited, I have lost so much muscle. I'm going to weigh like 145 when I get home. if I don't, I'm going to be super Fat! ah nuts! ha well, I try to do what I can. but yeah. man, Life is great, I love being a misisonary. It's one of the greatest blessings I have ever had In my life. I have learned and changed so much in only four months. you aren't going to know who I am when I get home! haha oh yes. what a surprise. well. that's all for now. until next time.

Love,
Michael!

Hello Mother!

That was so strange to have a relaxing day. that never happens! the new guy... ah well you see he is from peoria az (I call it pahoran city because I forget what it is called all the time!) He is a bit different, but then again hardly any misisonaries are normal. So it is something new just like everything. so it's all good! We have our devo. planned for the day after christmas, It's going to be great. Did I tell you that President Sorenson is going to speak at it also? He is such a great speaker. It will be really fantastic.

OH I got your package. Who do you think you are!? Sending me body wash and what not!? Since when do you think I have bad hygene. What an insult! haha oh gosh. we are getting into more of it though so it's all good. we even set up a christmas tree to put our presents underneath it! yeah baby! it looks good with CD's, pass along cards, my resistance bands, and a picture of christ as the topper. it's what we had, so it looks great. maybe for christmas I will send you my memory card so you can see all of those pictures ha.

I'm glad Matthew is still wanting to play basketball, that's good. If he can really get a good coach he will be able to make a lot of improvement. He just has to fall in line with the rest of us and do work right? ha That's good that ammon did well. what a stud. (if he would just win all of his matches he would be even more of a stud. but oh well. haha)

I'm sure you are all confused of where you are going to put things. I don't even think i can imagine where you have put the tree. hmm that's cool though that dad is trying to put the tv on the wall. did he ever get to resurface the deck? oh yeah, and that one leg on the deck where i chipped the stucco off? I hope so cause the snow could do some massive damage to it! Looks like you guys are gonna have a good time and everything. Did you do lights at all?

That's too bad that Grandpa isn't feeling too well. Hopefully he will get feeling better. That's not good to hear. Have dad and scott given him a blessing at all? It will help. Hopefully it's just something little that isn't bad and just seems worse because of the MS. Lots of prayers will do good.


It's so cool to see all of the guys I went to school with getting their mission calls. that's stellar. Yeah, that's true. Tyler went to the microneasia mission. I don't know how many in guam there are. and yes. the guys Jennifer's age are going home. do you remember mallory Kelly's boyfriend in High school Trevor carter? he is here in this mission. He goes home in the first part of january. and yes, mother, unfortuanatly as time goes on we do get old. but luckily for me I still feel like the youngest one out here. ;P love ya! haha

Jordyn is a killer daredevil. I guess that is what happens when you have three older brothers who pick on her and make her do things that she doesn't want too. what a stud. haha lucky for you the snow is almost gone. it has snowed here for the last 2 and a half days pretty much. it's so cold! i'm doing okay for now. a member at church gave me her husbands old overcoat because he was getting rid of it so I will start to use that also. it's legit! haha man it's awesome. too bad it doesn't match with anything, but when it gets cold you don't need to match! yeah! ha

So nothing else too new here. But I do have a funny story I would like to share..

every week we go visit this lady named Corina. She has been paralyzed for a few years now due to a bullet in the back of her head. saddest story I have ever heard. she was raised by drug-addict parents and joined after a trip to girls camp. moved out to ohio because some guy told her he would marry her. she was raped twice and then shot in the back of the head, either by herself or someone else. she has a daughter who is eight or so who she never gets to see.

she has the strongest testimony ever. she is always grateful, You just about never hear her complain. she is a really nice lady. but now that the sad part is over here is the funny part.

So when we were over there this last week she asked me to give her a kiss...
well, I didn't know what to do. (she had told Elder wilkinson and I that she loved us more than Jesus one day) I was so shocked. I didn't even know what to say. we sat in silence for a few moments like uh, oh, umm.. what do i do?! ahh but then she goes on to say, they are under my santa hat on the dresser. oh my gosh! what a relief! I was so happy she was talking about chocolates! It was so strange. ah it was oh man I can't even describe what it made me feel like haha. wow. that was super funny haha.

But that's it for me. until later.

Love Michael

oh yeah, what do you guys want for christmas?


Hey dad!

I think just a good pair of mizunos will do well for me. that way I can go running in them when there is no snow outside too. I'm stil a size ten. yep. By the time I get home I'm going to be so good at basketball. I am just going to let you know right now! haha.

The new teaching methods are pretty much what I was taught in the MTC. it's a lot more direct and purpose driven than it was before. so it's going well, the mission has improved a lot since the new curriculum was introduced. so that is always good.

Mom told me about the TV. that will look good. they always look better up above a mantle like that. the comp is a good guy. just different. we get along well though so it's all good.

The juicy stuff is what mom has.

Love ya!
Michael

Hello there.

I'm Great, I finally recieved revelation yesterday. that was pretty cool. We'll get to that later though. haha. Thanksgiving was really good. We ate a lot, got to play some basketball (yeah that's right, I'm going to be like Kobe when I get home! ha) and just got to relax, it was a nice day, but the rest of the week was pretty slow, we didn't get to teach too many lessons this week because everyone was out of town. but oh well, this week will be a lot better.

I'm so glad that you guys went shopping instead of sleeping in like we usually do! ha what all did you guys get? I think I know what one of those things are. haha man, well That's good you liked harry potter, I haven't seen it yet, maybe I will go see it today... ha Kidding! I would never do a thing like that. but that's good that you got that picture, Sister Headrick said that she checked to see if you sent an e-mail back to her about it but I told her you weren't much of a talker so she shouldn't really expect that much back from you. haha, She did make your 'Beths-surprise' it wasn't as good, but she really surprised me with it because it was pretty tasty ;P but yeah, that will probably be the only picture of me that you will see for a while, I haven't really decided or remembered to send my memory card yet, really because there aren't too many pictures on there yet, You know me. :P

The new guy.. haha he is nice, but he is definitely not like elder Wilkinson, ha. he was a bandy and all that stuff, but he is a good guy, I don't think we'll get along as well as elder wilkinson and I but so far we have gotten along really well and so yeah, His name is Elder James Leake, he has been out for about sixteen months now and he is pretty cool ha.

Thanks for sending me stuff, I love to get stuff. It makes me feel cool and loved... I didn't feel loved at home.. ;( haha Just kidding! I did. I don't really have any requests for Christmas to be too honest, I don't really need anything... I mean, It is Ohio, but there are still walmarts here. haha but yeah to be too honest I can't think of anything that I need, or want.
maybe like a really cool get ripped quick thing. something that keeps you skinny and helps you not lose muscle 'cause I am, and it's depressing because yeah. I wanna be big and intimidating so people really feel like I teach with power and authority! haha ;)

Since when do you decorate for Christmas? whaat? ha you always feel rushed though, so there is nothing new there. there's a word that i want to teach you though, and that is delegation. that means that you have people do things for you so you don't have to do everything by yourself... ;P

Anyways. to the missionary work and receiving revelation.

So this last week I have been praying and fasting a lot so I could find a way to find more people to teach and make them into investigators. so you know after a while i was like man, I'm going to have to fast a lot! ha but as we were in our correlation meeting with Brother webb yesterday and Idea popped into my mind that I briefly thought about during my morning study, and that Idea was to have a christmas devotional. This is going to be centered on the Youth but the parent's are also welcome. the way we want to go with this is getting the youth more involved with missionary work and inviting their friends to come and celebrate the birth of Christ with them. When we talk about it and Celebrate we are going to really focus on the things that happened in the America's when He was born (meaning that we will have to teach out of the Book of Mormon, getting them introduced to what it is all about really.

When we talked about it the spirit really flowed in the room and let us know that this is the way that we can get the ward excited about work and to really find people to teach who have been prepared. this is what I was waiting for. I still want more revelation, mostly because I don't want to wait a month before having a lot of people to teach, I want to have people to teach now, So just like it talks about in Alma, I need to give myself to much fasting and prayer to receive the things that I am in need of so I can find those lost children of God who are in dire need of the gospel in their lives.

that's my revelation..

well, the only thing that I can really think of as far as requests go, are some running shoes, my mizuno's or however you spell it are finally getting beat up too much, they are starting to rip, so maybe if dad could find me some really good running shoes? that would be fantastic!

hmm well, I'm not sure what else to go over. I think that is about it for now. Until next week!

Love, Michael.

Family!

The Baptism went well, but There is a long story that goes with it. On Thursday I was with the mission leader and while we were there his wife got a call saying that the baptismal font smelled horrible. like super sulfuric. not good. so on saturday we got there and it smelled just fine, but, when we turned the water on it smelled like the hot pots an an awefully hot day. oh it was so nasty! so we let it run for a bit hoping that the smell would just go away! man nope. it didn't happen. so we are trying to figure out what we could do and yes. yes we thought about moving it to the akron building which is thirty minutes away and it usually takes about 3 hours to fill the font! man woah. and then i had the idea to go turn on the font again to see what it smelled like. well, it didn't smell as bad and so we plugged it up and let it fill. we had just decided to do it smelly, and the people there could just get use to it.

Well, we opened all of the windows and sprayed some good smelling stuff and about thirty minutes before the baptism it smelled fine! what we did find out though is that the water that was coming in was from a well. the regular water was cycling through a water softener so we got the smelly well water. but eventually it switched back over and then the rest is history. the service was absolutely fantastic. quite an adventure I must say.

I have heard from the members that this movie actually follows the books more than the others so it's pretty good. but, on the other hand it throws things in there that haven't been in the other movies. but I have still been told it is by far the best movie yet.

I don't believe that for one second about matthew. since when is he brave? No. I think someone has switched him out with someone else. I don't think that's true. what in the world. woah. incredible haha. way to be a man. haha

I will find out who the new companion will be come tomorrow. hopefully He is a hard working guy and can teach me a lot because I still have a ton to learn. man, it will be different too because Elder wilkinson did a lot of the teaching when we were together! so i will get more of the opportunity to teach and learn more. so I'm excited and nervous at the same time. because i really do not want to have an apostate companion. I will go crazy and you will hear all about it. haha. oh well though. it's all good.

anywho, Thanksgiving will be good. so eh, haha I will just have to deal, the members will really take care of me and my comp. so whatev's man! ha well. nothing else realy too new. except we found a family of six that we taught this past monday and they were awesome. they are super curious. and the thing is they ask questions that go straight in line with the things our church has and teaches! one of the very first questions they asked is; if God is the same yesterday today and forever, and he had prophets in the bible. why aren't there prophets today? then they asked, where do we go when we die? how do we repent? and things along those lines and elder wilkinson and i were just like yes! oh my gosh this is awesome! holy cow! so really I hope that we can teach them and they can come unto christ. the wife just needs to understand the one true church thing. she doesn't really believe in that but, that will come along with time. these guys could definitly be kingdom builders. oh I'm so excited for the potential that is here.

I'm not too sure what else to add to be honest. I'm thinkin and I'm thinking. if I do come up with more I will add to it. until then.

Love ya!
Michael

Father,

I can't believe they finally got you to travel haha. that's funny. but yes the baptism went well, the story is in moms e-mail. Today isn't too cold, last night when we went home it was about 65, so it was a lot warmer than it has been, we drove with the windows down haha.

The one thing you can remember to get me is a GPS on black friday, my tights in ammons room and whatever else you feel like sending me, I promise I wont be opposed whatsoever. ;p but yeah I'm not in too much need of anything right now. to be honest.

Not really too much going on just yet, there is a lot of untapped potential that we need to find. (being me and whoever the new companion will be) so we just really need to find people as of right now. I'm doing great as well, things are good here and I'm having a really good time.

Love michael!
oh yeah! I just remembered. If you guys could get the last two General Conference talks on CD and send them out to me and maybe whatever else I can listen to in the car, which is anything that is a hymn or that the Tabernacle Choir sings that would be super cool. as of right now my collection of CD's to listen to in the car is lacking! but thats all else I can remember that I want.

Michael is so blessed to be in such an awesome area. There are a couple of sisters who have kept me posted on how he is doing. One in particular is Sister Tanya Headrick. This sweet lady called me to get some recipes so she could cook some of Michael's favorite foods. This morning I found this in my e-mail:

Hi Beth!

Here is a picture from last night. Elder Stone and Elder Wilkinson came over so we could say good-bye to Elder Wilkinson and give him a parting gift. Thought you might enjoy seeing this photo. Elder Stone was pretty excited about wearing his hat! He told us he had you send it out to him before the winter came.

Have a good day!

Tanya Headrick


Unfortunately I can't get the picture to upload, but he looks great!

Hey there.

Well, this week was one of our less active weeks, but we did get to go to Kirtland on Saturday and on Sunday, that was pretty cool. The actual tour itself is really cool with the things that went on there. I'm really excited for this next week though because we have a baptism and we are teaching a few new investigators. we have one lady who is probably in her forties or fifties, an 18 year old boy, two 16 or 17 year old girls and a family of four or five that we are meeting with for the first time tonight so hopefully their hearts will be softened and that we will be able to be guided by the spirit to teach the things that would touch their hearts and really manifest the truthfulness of things to them.

The only thing that I'm somewhat nervous is about is Elder Wilkinson leaving, mostly because he knows how to answer all the questions we get asked and what to teach and all that missionary stuff. but I'll be good. if I don't get a good companioni that will just make me have to rely on the Lord more to help me get to the places i need to be so I can help others.

That is so strange that Spanish is changing again to 3A they will pretty much just roll over everyone in that classification for almost everything... that is if they keep performing like they would if they were playing in a 5A or 4A group, that's strange, football and baseball will do really well, they will only have to put up with Juan diego and that is just for football. Quite a bit of traveling though. so strange man, so strange. They will get worked in wrestling though, there is no question of that.

man 25 years. strange... haha

Did you know that Matthew got his call? He is going to some place in Georgia. He didn't tell me though. it came from other people haha. oh yeah, hey do you remember Chris Drockton? He is living in Medina. which is about the same size as provo and is in the same stake, I saw him Just Yesterday at stake conference... I didn't talk to him though.

Man, Jerimiah's two years went by quickly! I swear he wasn't gone that long. that is really strange if you ask me. haha. but that's cool that James and Nicolette are getting hitched, (remember how I said I'm not getting married? yep, it's still the same haha) man, I bet Kenna is going to feel strange now, or she has been with only Josee at home. what is this world coming to? everyone is getting old, there are no more young people, goodness. haha.

So far we have only had one thanksgiving dinner. we have one set up for thanksgiving day. but it's nothing like yours mom, if that's what you're looking for! haha, they don't spend two days cooking, and there is no sausage in the stuffing. it's a good thing they don't cook as much as you though. I would gain way too much weight. then I would come home a fatty. We'll see who else invites me over. (and whoever the new comp may be.) I Honestly don't know what I'm going to do. it's an all day P-day then so we can just do whatever i guess. but whatever in missionary talk entails a whole lot of nothing. no movies, no video games, no tv. no pleasures of the world, haha that's somewhat bad to say ;p

To be honest the only thing that you guys can really pray for is that I will have the spirit with me to learn and just to be able to teach to people's needs a whole lot better. you can also pray for the Moore family that their hearts will be softened and receptive to the gospel and who ever else that we teach you can pray that theirs will be also. but yeah, that's about it for me.

.

Love Michael

Mother!

What is this Blasphemous talk about going on a cruise to Hawaii 4 months before I get home!?! That is not cool at all. First you tell me the home is a better place to be without me and now a cruise right before I get home... ouch... It's a good thing I don't get offended to easily. ha ha

I'm glad you guys are getting things done though. That's always a plus. Did dad resurface the deck? If it does snow you can always start work on the basement. It snowed once this past week here. it got cold! we walked a lot so we got to really feel it, sad thing is though, That is warm weather when it really hits. ha That's good though that bishop did that. but at the same time it's not summer so they will probably forget when summer does come. ha oh well.

For some reason it doesn't surprise me that Braxton came home. Speaking of ventura, is Jeremiah home yet? It's close isn't it? or is that Spencer Budd who is there? i can't remember. I got a letter from Jr not too long ago saying Matt got his call and he told him to write me so I know where he is going but that hasn't happened yet, no surprise there though ha.

Elder Wilkinson goes home the 23rd this months and transfers are the day before thanksgiving. I will be staying. they won't shotgun us out because we were just shotgunned in and we are doing a lot better than the sisters. we teach around 20 lessons a week and this upcoming week we already have about 20 planned with more to come and a trip up to kirtland, that will be fun.

Could you really not find my tights? dang man that bites. and yeah, I really am not sure where those pictures are I thought they were just up in my closet or room somewhere. oh well, but yeah, speaking of ammon. how big is he now? 200? chubby boy gettin real chubby? haha man. he has got to stop psyching himself out though. but how is Jayme? I never hear about her. any who. how is everything else going? House decorations or anything else interesting? nothing too exciting here. just doing work and we have a baptism scheduled for the 20th. Interesting story there...

This girl she is 27 has a crush on Elder Wilkinson. She well, I'm not going into details but she is not for either of us. at all. she had five piercings and we got her to take them out and she now has an interview with our mission president, you can assume there I wont tell you why he is though, but she gave him a letter yesterday telling him that she likes him and wants to try and see him after he goes home and man I really just cracked up because he kind of has a 'Sister' at in Utah right now on medical leave. so i thought that was funny, but it's also making me nervous that she is doing it for ulterior motives instead of really having the desire to change and enter into a covenant with God. I really hope she does have the real intent you need to be baptized. we'll find out how things go tomorrow and Wednesday.

I'm just going to say, You aren't going to be your mother until you start quilting. then you are a pro. until then, eh... just someone to make fun of! haha Love you.

Speaking of temples. the Akron stake presidency wants temple attendance to go up here so they can qualify to have a temple built here. that would be super cool, the Columbus temple is already at capacity. you have to call to reserve a seat. If they can get another one in Ohio that would be really cool. yes, the members do spoil us and that is not a lie, it's bad, but at the same time it's fantastic! haha

Life, well Like we are told, we need quality members and quality Missionaries. if you aren't going to do anything for God, he isn't going to do anything for you. The bishop here is a good guy. when he talks about finding people to teach, he tells us we need to find the next Elders quorum president, Hp group leader, bishop etc.. that is what we are called to do. to find the elect. I know in Utah the mentality of seeing a missionary in your ward is more along the lines of, wow they must really not have anything to do. but as president Hinkley once counseled, missionary work is not just tracting, we all know there is a better way to do misisonary work and that is through the members. without a fellowshipper or in other words a member to tie the person in they will have a lot harder time to accept the gospel, finding your friends or people you know who need the gospel in their lifes and then inviting them to have the lessons in your home is they most successful way to experience conversion.

I never realized how important members are until I got out here. so yeah, they may send the goofy missionaries to Utah, but we are all doing the same work and they need help. I wont lie, so be nice.

Nothin more to say here.

Love Michael

P.S. Move Hawaii to where I can come! that is so not fair! oh heck!

What's up?!

Football was so much fun to play! oh I love to work out of course haha

I'm glad ammon works hard, that's good. man but the bikes. thats fun, hopefully they aren't wrecked when I get home, are they manual or are they auto? thats good that the yard is moving along too. I still like quads more.

We are teaching a lot, we have a possibility of teaching 20 + lessons this week so that's good and we have a trip planned to Kirtland. with one of our investigators. she has her interview wednesday. we also have a family investigating, but the dad cannot be baptized until he is off of probation. so thats three years away as of now. but if he can get off earlier that would be awesome. but that family is waiting to be baptized as a family and they are all gung ho about it have they are really good friends with a family that are also members. we have about four potential we met this last week and one family is super solid. so we'll see what happens but we don't see them from a week from today because the schedule we have this week is crazy.

Love Michael

'Sup Dawg.

Yeah, She made us cafe rio for lunch the other day. it was good haha ;p we are way spoiled, we eat a lot and so i decided to start jumproping to not get too fat. We are teaching around 18 lessons a week but we really only have two investigators and so we are working to find more through members and the investigators that we have so hopefully things will work out good. This ward is really good, We just need to really put for the effort to find people that are ready to hear the word.

I don't know if I'm going to need thremals. Odds are I'm just going to buy some, but if you could send me my old wrestling tights? those keep me warm haha! maybe my hat that is blue and brown with the ear covers too? ( I need like two or three more sets of G's too, the drilux for the shirts and briefs or compression for the bottoms, both in smalls) ;) we have someone doing our laundry for us so I need just a couple more to keep me feeling not stressed about it haha ;p I'm glad you still find me as your favorite child haha

We had one storm this last week where in rained like crazy and it was super windy, both elder wilkinson and I were kind of hoping for a tornado, but one never came. Usually there is a member who is suppose to call us and offer us their home if there is a tornado watch, there are the sirens too so maybe if it happens we'll just pray and then pull out the camera's to film It!! haha this morning a house down the street caught on fire, I don't think it was too bad because we couldn't see flames, but there was still like four fire trucks an ambulance and some other emergancy things that came by with their sirens on.

Halloween was alright, we dressed up as the "elders of israel" with the yamikas and everything, I was peter and he was james, John was still off doing the work you know...

Hopefully ethan has changed or he may come home, I hope things go well for him because if not he has the possibility of leading a sad life of hanging out with 15 year old girls... (whoops did I say that out loud?) ha yes, I do Know stetson argyle, I never would have thought I would hear that he would go on a misison but that's really good for him, you talk to Kris Clayton? since when? Strange he is coming out here though. I have seen Brandon Barlow. He is in the Zone right next to mine so I have seen him twice out here now and so things are going good. There is actaully a pretty good possibility for me to serve with him becuase he is only one transfer ahead of me so we'll see what happens, it would be really fun to serve with him.

I can't believe dad bought bikes, I thought it was going to be 4-wheelers? but man, ammon might die.. ha jk what size are they? are they just little cheap ones cause dad didn't want to put too much money into them? and I'm sure you have a super full garage now, haha. have fun :P

Um, lets see, I asked for an address last week and I didn't get it.. strange how things work right? haha :P Your life seems super easy now. ha and it's just going to get better as you get older and we get older. man, what a life haha...

that is all

Love Michael.

Oh yes, do you think that you could send me my portfolio pictures too? the ones I took in photography? that would really be bomb. because we go see this lady who is a member that lives in an assisted care facitility. she is paralized in her whole body and likes to look at pictures so if you could send those to me that would be cool. they should be in my closet somewhere. if not they should all be on the computer. but if you could get them to me that would be fantastic! much loves

Father,

you e-mail early. wow. haha

We get fed all the time. it's awesome, I Started to jumprope so I don't gain too much weight, today we are going up to tallmage, that's about 45 minutes north of us, to go play football or whatever with the other guys in the zone. hopefully I can get some good excercise there.

we are teaching enough too keep us off the streets for more than 2 or 3 hours a week.

are your trees going to live? hope so. sweet day for halloween though, halloween in utah usually always has bad weather. that's odd haha. That's funny how you got called into youngmens again. I don't know what it is but you are always in there. maybe you are just better at teaching kids. who knows. but that should be fun though right?

I can't believe you caved and got bikes! are they good ones? how big are they? did you just buy some junkers to shut ammon up? If I get home and he hasn't been hurt yet I will be surprised. haha that's fun though

speaking of daylight savings. we thought that was today for some reason so we almost ignored our alarm, but of course that isn't until next week. so that's good haha.

nothing too much exciting going on here yet. hopeflly we can find more investigators.

Love michael

Mother.

I guess I can be lost for the next month and a half, or however long you decide to take.... whatever... ;P haha Dad doesn't use his... haha ;p Oh yeah, and you might get an e-mail or a call from a sister headrick, I don't know her first name, but she might ask you for some recipies or something.

The Hern was just apostate, I tried not to complain with him so there wouldn't be any tension or what not that would drive the spirit away, I'm a peaceful guy remember? or have you forgotten in just 3 months? ha Elder Wilkinson is super cool, he teaches me a lot, I feel like I'm going to learn quite a bit this transfer. I sure hope so.

The ward is spoiling us, it's great we didn't even have to buy milk last week, someone just gave it to us. that's all we need to buy this week. so it's legit, I know haha. Oh yeah, and last night was the first time we ate dinner at our apartment, but a member gave us dinner to eat, so we are still muy bueno! ha I think the reason why the sisters stopped working is because they got offended. I'm not too sure how but they did and it was probably over something stupid so yeah, you just can't get offended easily.

Yeah, I got the package, I was like oh sweet, maybe a GPS. but no, just something to help my hands not get frostbite. That's good too though cause it's getting time for the cold to be here. I think I might have to go buy some thermals sometime. or maybe you could just send them to me in a couple weeks, whatever works really.

Is ammon really that worried about it? I mean really, just tell him the crap that I had to go through, I hardly won any matches my freshman year and I still wrestled, I had to go up ten pounds just to wrestle JV!! I still don't understand why he pulls this crap. He is going to have to learn to deal with hard things, because if he just tries to avoid it he isn't doing himself any good at all. He did this last year, He is finally getting to the point where he can't just man handle everyone and get what he wants, he needs to actually work for things. He know's how to work hard, he just needs to to it all the time because if not where is he going to learn it? Wrestling is really the one thing well sport, that teaches you how to overcome mentally hard things. when he grows up he is going to face a lot of mentally challenging things. Just remind him when I quit wrestling it took me a week of prayer to finally make up my mind. Have him read 2 Nephi 32: 8-9. Make sure he understands what it means. I know that if he does pray about it he can make up his mind. he just really needs to cut the crap. Love Michael.



That's super cool that grandpa is planning on getting us tickets. talk him into getting us on the 50 fairly low! ha (remind him how hard stairs are! haha) that's really good though that Scott had a job interview. I hope he gets it. That would be really good for him and his family.



I'm glad you are realizing that the house is more peaceful without me in it. how do you think that makes me feel? maybe like the source of all evil? quite possibly. gosh.... :/ I'm glad though that you enjoy my absence. haha



Love,
Michael!

MOM!!! you distracted me! here is my adress 295 Third St. Wadsworth OH, 44281 and yes, this area I really do need a GPS so you can stick it in with my gloves because neither of us know where anything is and you know how much I love you and how much I would do anything for you so... Puhlease!!? :) like really though, we get lost so if you could really send me one that would make my grey hairs and wrinkles go away.... Love ya.
Hey Guys! So did sabrina naulu talk to ammon about this? haha. Actually we don't cover Medina. we are about thirty minutes or so south in a city called Wadsworth, It's about the size of Spanish Fork I think. we cover about four or five other towns too. No, The Webbs aren't related to coach webb. He is from washington state. My new companion is elder wilkenson and it's his last transfer, before here he was a zone leader. but yeah we got shotgunned in here (where they take two out and put two in) there use to be sisters here and they were pretty lazy, only teaching about four lessons a week. ( we have 20 or more planned for this one. but we'll get there in a second) The Hern was horrible. so I have to forget everything and re-learn from elder wilkenson, he is killer. haha I don't know why i was transferred i was only told by the Ap that this is what the Lord really wanted and I'm super stoked. this ward is the bomb. oh yeah, we don't cover Akron... I didn't do anything bad either to get transferred, I believe I was being rewarded with a new trainer and a better area. I'm so impressed with you guys. this yard might actually be done before i get home! wow.. haha that's awesome. but you're going to have to stop soon because of the weather right? and mom, if you get in shape you can go running with me when i get home~! haha exercise is the best! I love it! ha and yeah mom what the crap. why can't you just think what would michael do in those situations.!!?/ So anywho. this ward. oh my this ward. The very first night we got here we had dinner with the whittinbergers. they are a crazy family, everyone calls the dad hillbilly, the reason for this is because he throw's road kill in his neighbors drive way haha it's weird but they are a family that will come running to help anyone at any time. also they have a family that they are helping take the lessons. Bob and Sue, they have three or four kids. very good people and we are going to try to set a baptismal date with them this week and invite their daughter and boys (if they boys are old enough) to start taking the lessons. The next night we ate with the Foutz family and man they are sweet too. they gave us food when we left and yeah. haha then we met the webbs on that same day i believe and he is going to do a great job being the ward mission leader. yesterday we went and ate with the Zuro family and dude this guy is rich! he plays golf with his clients all the time, I mean okay dad this one is for you he had two porsche carreras just sitting in the garage, he doesn't evendrive them!! haha and they well he, invited us to come play paintball with him in their woods. we will probably do that.... hahaha shh. don't tell anyone ;p This ward is so amazing, they are like the only area here that is upper middle class and higher that has members and other people who are receptive to the gospel and the ward members do missionary work too so it's super cool! but anyways, Neither of us have been here, Elder wilkenson was serving as a Zone leader in Youngstown so we are still trying to get established here. but the sisters that were here before us didn't really do anything like i said they had only taught like three lessons a week, we have over 20 planned for this week and all we have done is gone through the area book and the records calling former investigators and everyone trying to meet them, I mean, we got most of our appointments from not even leaving the house. so yeah, we are excited to really get things going and we could be teaching all day everyday for a long time, we have a potential of having ten investigaors, if not more, by the end of the week. Elder Wilkenson has said that this is probably the best area in the whole mission. I believe it. Oh yeah, The mayor of wadsworth is in the ward too. so the people here know who we are! haha well, I think that's it. Tell everyone you see I love them. well... Maybe not, it depends on who it is... hahaha! Love you, Michael P.S. I'm a great missionary, so uh, don't think I got transferred for a bad reason! ha :p



Hey dad,

This area is the bomb, It's so cool here and everyone is super nice that we have talked to. ( there are amish in the surrounding area's too. we have seen horse and buggys!) the shakes are to help me lose my belly flab, especially in this area we are fed every single day and sometimes twice a day. the members also take us grocery shopping in their pantry's after every appointment too. so ha we only need to buy milk. that's it. so hopefully i don't gain too much weight here.

I thought you were putting the small junipers in the retaining walls? :/

Cool though that it's getting done.

Love, Michael

What's up homies?!

Transfers are tomorrow and guess what?!? I'm getting transferred! haha so if
you haven't sent that package yet send it to the mission office! I can get
you my new stuff on monday. But if it's already on it's way Elder Hernandez
said he would forward it on to me. for reals about the GPS though that's
super depressing. I may as well go drown myself in lake erie... ha just
kidding!! the GPS just helps a lot so we don't have to waste time. Elder
hernandez has a GPS but it's been broken and all of his last companions have
had GPS's except me. so yeah. oh well.... the weather here is probably more
eratic than Utah. weird things happen here. I'm eating alright. I'm taking
these meal replacement shakes so I can lose my gut and come home with a six
pack and a flat stomach... haha we'll see how that goes. I just don't want
to get fat.

Yes, one transfer in St. Mary's and I'm already moving. It's super strange.
I guess this has only happened once before where a greenie leaves the
trainer after the first transfer. But the Lord knows best. The Money
doesn't go very far. Lately though we have been getting fed pretty well so
it's okay. I'm not craving anything but junk food but yet again, I don't
need that cause with that I will never get my SIX PACK!! haha

I'm not suppose to go to other websites. but if I wanted to I really could
but I don't think I will because Obedience brings blessings and we all know
as a missionary I need as many of those as I can get.. So maybe you could
send them on over, it all depends on you. Speaking of pictures, I haven't
been able to do much but we went to this "temple of tolerance/rock garden"
yesterday and I got to take a couple of pictures and that just reminded me
of how much I love photography and what I could do with a nice SLR. but I
work with what I have. I still haven't hit 100 pictures though so you wont
be getting memory card anytime soon haha

anyways, Jill. I swear. but she reset her own date and now there are 4
baptismal dates set for the next transfer, but i'm not going to be there for
any of them. oh well. Things are good there but she is so strange and messed
up from her old life style.

Yeah, I know. Rich is a big guy. You all say this everytime... you should
just get use to it. college football players gotta be big. I mean come on
guys! haha :P Ammon though, I mean come on guys. we all knew what freshman
football was going to entail... what's the big surprise? I mean we have all
been through this before. Hopefully the Varsity coaches aren't as stupid.
Again, Ammon, What drives you to do these things? I know the good Lord gave
you a brain... way to blow a hundo! haha don't forget you can always use
your old new one! ;p

By the way... What's up with Matthew carrying that phone around? Is he
texting some girly's? oooh matty, I can't believe you haha! That's pretty
funny though how Joel's Number ended up just like mine. strange things i
guess... but whatever! haha

I went to the Chiro again today... I don't know if it was the bed I have
been sleeping on or if it is this new lifestyle but I have been out more
than normal and it's pretty darn annoying but this place was a lot better
than where I went the first time. oh yeah, did scott or grandpa ever give
you that reciept? anyways... today is my last day in St. Mary's. we'll see
where the wind takes me...

Love you.
Michael

hey dad,

P days are just whatever that we need to do to prepare for the week and maybe go hang out with some other elders. It has been cold, but this weekend it jumped up to the 80's but now it's on the downward fall so I'm just waiting for the freeze! I have half an hour to work out every morning but some of the time I'm too tired to get anything done so I hope i'm not losing too much muscle. but we all know that will happen.

Love you

Mother.

Yes I really do need a Gps. Roads in Ohio are not as good as roads in Utah, So it is a really good thing to have. I promise! so Please! haha and Maybe a good set of winter gloves? I love you! ;p Also I told dad what scripture and I told him Alma 29:1 will be fine. Also I'm jealous that you have had good weather in utah. it has been below 68 all week. the last couple days were in the 50's so we'll see what happens this week. The weather is probably a little more crazy here than at home.

I'm Super stoked that you guys are getting things done haha. that's good that maple Beat spanish. that really needed to happen. was Jaylin pretty much their only play maker?

Well wanna hear something weird? I took like ten pages or more of notes this weekend. I mean since when have I taken notes?! haha That's way cool that J.R. has his call. I really hope that Matt can get down to where he needs to be. He needs to get going so if you could call him and tell him he doesn't want to go a year or more without me and JR in his life ha! Also that Michael Really wants him to get to work. ;)

oh yeah and Jill? well she had taken a drag this previous week and so we had to tell her that we have to move her date back two weeks and she about died, I mean really died. her blood pressure was that of someone who would go to the ER immediatly. she was heart broken, but freaking now she doesn't want to set a date so we are going to have to tell her that if she doesn't set a date then if something happens and she dies she isn't cleansed from her previous sins and that it will be worse because she didn't want to set a date to be baptized, she had progressed a lot but she has also Digressed some also. some people I just don't get. I mean yeah this is my first "real" investigator so i'm sure i will get use to it. no doubt. but yeah...

So if you didn't notice General Conference, at least to me, talked about obedience and following the prophet. So kids... Be more obedient!!!! don't laugh. Michael, I mean I can be serious now. I'm a missionary remember? ha but no really it's true, things of this world are very horrible and if we are not careful and doing all of the things we need to do satan will slowly drag us down to hell. I heard a really cool analogy of commandments and rules this last week. Imagine that each commandment and rule is like a bar to a cage, now how do you feel being stuck in a cage? pretty confined right? but now imagine that you are still in that cage in shark infested waters. now you feel pretty safe. so now we can say that as we are living in shark infested waters. which this world is very infested with sharks and other evil things around us. if we follow the commandments and rules to the best of our ability, even with exactness we will be safe and more free to do the things that we so desire.

I can't believe that you really got an antennae ah haha and that ugly thing is in your room. ha. man you guys. TV isn't that great or important. I promise ha. but that's good and yet again i promise you that you would wish you had a GPS in Ohio too. It's so darn confusing, so i'm on my needs begging you (don't forget how much I love you mom, and that I'm your favorite... ha) so please! ;p I don't have winter gloves either... I don't know why we didn't get me any before I came out but I don't know what kind of quality to get, I know i'm pathetic.... and i don't really have money here. . so yep.
anything i can do for you? ha

Love, Michael!

Hey Peeps!

Thanks for the birthday package and such! you must have forgot to send me a GPS. cause that will really come in handy down here.... haha if there isn't really a way to send it you can just put money on my account so I can buy one here... ;) I'm glad matthew is enjoying soccer, oh yeah, and tell him for the Millionth time i'm not in cleveland hahaha! :p

Ammon. here's the thing, I work out when I can and that's not very much. we have been so busy i wake up and i'm to tired to work out so I lay on the floor haha! but I do what I can, and we have two baptisms coming up within the next month!! we have transfers on october 13th so I could leave but probably not because you spend two or three transfers in an area.

things are good. We are teaching this Lady Jill. She is going to be baptized in two weeks. she has had a shady past with drugs, alchohol and stealing. Jill was fired from her job this last weekend from stealing and that wwas what she really needed to be honest. with her job there was no way that we could get her to come to church but now she said she is going to be to church no matter what! but anyways. she has also had the gospel in her life for thirty years and is just now accepting it at age 50. she feels so bad for being a nitpicker and not accepting to anything ever but now she is so happy and you can see the light in her face. we meet with her every day to talk and teach. she told us that her end goal is to get sealed to her parents in the temple! so yes she is pretty much golden. She has made leaps and bounds in the last week, let alone the last couple months!

Oh yes, mother. I'm sending scott and grandpa the reciept from the Chiro with their letters so you can give it to dad. I'm fine, my bed just sucks and it was time for an adjustment. That chiro sucked too. Joe is way better than him. so if i have to go again while i'm here i'm going to try to find another one that is better.

Oh yeah, Speaking of the Harlans. I forgot to tell you guys that I saw Briana at the Temple with her man my last week in the MTC. I didn't say anything though cause I just thought I should stay quiet haha. oh yes. Tell Hailey that so far she has lied. She said she would write me! haha oh just kidding. you can if you want though. Isn't Camielle coming home soon? or is it another 6 months? I can't remember.

Anywho. I'm stoked, we have a family of four we are going to try to start teaching and also we are going to start with rick's nine year old step daughter and we found a new guy tracting so we are going to see if we can teach him also. Things are starting to slowly pick up here in this area, but it's still going to take some time to get it where we really want to be to be honest, and when we get there we are probably still going to want to improve. I'm not going to lie haha! but yes. things are going very well

No mother. I'm not homesick. I told you that nonsense wouldn't happen with me. once I get homesick things go bad and that's just not going to happen. I'm sorry. haha. You need to call JR and matt or something because they should have their papers in and getting their calls soon so be on them for me!

Um, So I think Adam loves me more than Jennifer. I just though I would throw that in there somewhere too. um, let's see... nothing else that's coming to mind. I'm glad that the yard is getting done. Like I said... It better be done so we can have a huge party when i come home! haha ;P love you

Love you and you.

Michael!

Way to go dad! you're going to be ripped when I get home!!! haha I can't believe the plow broke! that sucks!! man. I'm on a trek. I haven't rode mine yet but i have while on exchanges. and there are some you can pray for. Jill Robinson. Brian Sutton. and pray for the kosch family and norm to be accepting to the gospel so we can teach them.

Love you.

Lovers,

Quit Using Dearelder okay? I swear I told you that you could e-mail back now that I'm no longer in the MTC haha ;p as you know from past e-mails, the johnson farm was very cool. and mom, you were wrong, It wasn't because of the holiday you didn't get an e-mail, it was because we were up in Hiram all day long doing stuff so we didn't have the opportunity to e-mail. nice try! hahaha :P I can't believe Jordyn is learning to write! give her a big ole' kiss for me haha I'm so happy that she is enjoying soccer and what not. that's so cool haha

This last week was crazy, we had over ten hours of tracting and we taught around 11 lessons, this week on the other hand isn't going to be as good because we only have four days that we can prosalyte (however it's spelled) in our area because of meetings and exchanges, so we'll see what happens haha. I'm so stoked for you guys to actually get tree's in the front yard! it's progress haha. that's good, maybe it will be done when I get home. I mean it better be because if not... well lets just not go there haha. I can't believe you got talked in to being the room mother! ah hahahaha that's so funny!

I'm glad to hear that Joel has moved out, hopefully that will be good for him and he will be able to improve and such, that's great. and Jayme! way to go girl! that's mad props, next time make him go up there! haha ;P (now, now, don't get mad, I'm only playing. you know I love you!)

Now Ammon, I'm glad you are reading your scriptures, just remember as you read you need to understand what is going on or your study is in vain... Just saying. ha That's more than what I did. I didn't start really reading till the end of my Jr. year for a couple of months and then all of my senior year. It's definitely worth it so keep at it man, you know what's up! ha

can you see me becoming weirder in my e-mails? be honest!!! I sure hope I'm not! I plan on coming home with the same type of personality I had when I left, Maybe even better, but not weirder haha! that would be a total downer. no joke.

So they had me talk in church on sunday. it was the first time I didn't write it down word for word, so I was a little nervous, but luckily for me the branch only had 30-40 people there so I did good and I spoke for 20 Minutes... where did that come from? haha

Anyways. Mission life, well we are thinking about dropping rick, or only going to see him once a week or less because he isn't progressing and he doesn't really seem like he want's to. Elder Hernandez was cool with what I said to him. He kind of just lets me say what I need to say because he isn't the greatest at being bold. Somtimes I have to take control of the lesson too because he gets distracted with the kids really easily and can go off on tangents. oh man, speaking of this. we went to talk to this guy who is investigating that we haven't talked to since before i got here and we brought a member who talked to him for and hour and a half before we could say a single word! it was horrid! I had to tell the member i was going to cut him off and ask the investigator if he still wants to be baptized and we found out that he had be anti'd because some how he found out about the mountain meadows massacre, I mean really? how do you find out about that unless you are really digging or someone gives you anti material.

Oh yeah, Adam, I forgot to tell you in your e-mail, you have mad props with all that work. and make sure you do it good because when I get home I'm planning on doing the whole year mixed with work thing too. so be good at it so i can come get advice from you! haha it's definitely worth all of it.

So my birthday is this saturday right? I would sure hope that you wouldn't forget, because that would be freaking lame. so along with all of the other things you are sending me... (:P) if you could send me a GPS cause we have a hard time finding places sometimes.... I would be eternally grateful (greatful? man I can't spell) and also two long sleeved shirts. one of them we got was a 17 with 32-33 instead of 34-35. so yeah. that would be awesome. so I love you, don't forget how much I love you, every single one of you! ;) So if anyone else is interested in sending something, cause I know it's your hearts desire. My adress is:

1810 Winston Dr.

St. Marys, OH 45885

So don't forget how much I love all of you, hahaha but yeah. I think this is it. so have a good week, I know I will.

Love Michael!

Bad Momma, Bad Momma!!

Ouch.... This sucks!

no e-mail waiting for me. It's not the knife in the heart that hurts, it's the turning of the blade...

ha okay just kidding. a little, that's some offensive stuff!

Anyways, this last week was a pretty busy one, we ended up teaching about 12 lessons or so in Five days, that's pretty good for this area I must say. Usually there isn't that many. also i have a feeling that i might be gaining some weight because we have eaten at a members house like every night, sometimes lunch too.

I don't really know what else to say i guess cause i didn't have an e-mail waiting for me... :'( I go serve the Lord and I get forgotten... haha :P

I guess a good thing though is that we finally got an appointment with one of the investigators that we haven't been able to make contact with for the last three weeks, so we just need to go see if he is still intrested and teach him a couple more things and then he can be baptized. so maybe that would count as my first? we'll see how much we still have to visit with him and teach him.

So how is everything? Is ammon having a fun time with football? Hopefully his game this last weekend went well. what about the yard? more tree's, curbing, sprinklers, or maybe even grass? well... maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself.... haha Anyone new move into the hood? I would ask if anyone asked for my address so they could write me, but who am I kidding? ha no distractions here! just really just serving the Lord!

So this one investigator, Rick. He has a smoking habit. pretty frustrating with that cause he was smoking a lot less than normal but now he has digressed. Also, he is living with his baby momma and they have three kids together. before I came they had committed them to get married but when I asked last time he just had another excuse. It's really frustrating to put up with it. we had told him that we were going to call or drop by his house every night to check on him to see how he is doing and so when I talked to him last night I was very up front with him. I just told him that he can't just sit back and wait for some miracle and that he is going to have to do things for God to help him overcome his addiction and that he needs to really try and not be so lazy. I was pretty blunt but I felt I needed to. I don't think there is really any other way to get to him. I really don't know. It's just excuse after excuse.

Enough of my ranting about hardships. How are Jenn and Adam? I haven't heard from them at all, if you wanted you could tell them to E-mail me or something? How are Jayme and Cassidy? is that still touchy? and yes, I know he is in ceder. Do you know if Scott took offense when I told him not to send me articles about spanish fork football? I hope not because i didn't mean any.

Is Matthew liking the new school and all? I hope so. Are the kids still going to the LaMonts to work out? or just Ammon? that will be good for him, Hopefully he isn't too much bigger than me when I get home haha. Have you heard about anyone else that I went to school with getting their mission calls? I know there is a lot of questions here, Kind of like Alma 5 but without the soul searching/eternal salvation questions haha. but there isn't really much to work with cause well it was an empty inbox so i'm just winging it that is all!

It's already been a month, that's weird to think. we'll see if time speeds up after the first transfer, that's what i have beed told so maybe it will happen, I just need to stay diligent and doing my best.

Oh yeah, are you still sending this E-mail to people? who are they? I'm just kind of curious, that's all. but yeah. Untill you write me back. ;) (this time you have a full week, so we'll see what happens haha :P)

Love Michael!!

In my defense, I didn't write an e-mail because Michael told me not to so that he could use all of his computer time writing to us!! I sent a snail mail letter to him last week, he just hasn't gotten it yet, and I'm sending another one today, so there!!

Letter 9/9/10

Dear people of the real world,

Did Grandpa put Elder Michael Stone? That way they can forward it to me, and I'm not sure if J.R. has my address out here, probably not, so if you could send it to him too like through a text that would be way cool! haha well yeah kirtland is pretty dang neat. The mall isn't actually here in St. Mary's it's about 40 minutes away in a town called Lima but its pronounced lime-a. weird I know. we have a car to drive so I'm yet to ride a bike, and I'm okay with that haha. Elder Hernandez is a good guy, and we get along pretty well and he teaches me quite a bit. He is weird in ways and all but what missionaries aren't? haha He is from small town kind of by lake elsinore. He has one year left so we will be companions for possibly two more transfers after this one.

On monday we went to the John Johnson farm in Hiram for a "zoned out" this was a 3 zone p-day where we had a tour of the johnson home. I didn't know that that was the place where Joseph was dragged out of the bed and tarred and feathered, it was so so oh i can't think of a good word to put here but i will just say weird, to stand and be in the same exact places that those horrible things happened and places where he recieved reveleation straight from Christ and other olden day prophets.

After that we just got to do some activities and play games with everyone else. It was very fun. (It was so great to play football! haha but my legs are still sore 3 days later! ;) ) after that was over, we headed home, but elder hernandez had to stay in cleveland becuase he is the district leader and there was a leadership training meeting. So i went on exchanges in a town called fremont. haha oh man that was an experience. monday night when I got there we went to visit these two older people who have a mental capacity of an 18 year old or so and the wife made me a yamaka! it was out of control haha but wow. this lady is crazy and she makes all the missionaries that she has over yamaka's like how Jesus did back in the bible and stuff when he was a kid I guess. Just about everyone in the whole mission know's about these two ha.

I finally found someone to fix my pants too so I'm excited to finally have pants that are long enough! yeah buddy! the members here though are pretty good for the most part, but there is only about 40-50 of them and the church building is like a normal one like we go to but cut into a third with no pews or fixed seats on the stand. the stand is only six inches up, the podium is on wheels, the sacrament table is just a normal table and the wooden walls on the stand can be taken off. oh yeah, lets not forget that there isn't a piano or a organ? it's just a really nice keyboard instead.

There isn't really that much else to say except that I'm meeting some really good guys and maybe I will send you their name or something when they go home so you can look them up on facebook for me cause some of these guys are really great and I would like to stay in touch with them. especially the ones who are almost done haha! Anyways, besides this you can give other people my e-mail and/or address so we can chat and such. Don't forget me, God never forgets you ;P

I Love you all, don't have too much fun with out me.

Love, Michael! ;)

Surprise e-mail!!

What a week! A letter, a phone call, and now an e-mail!! Wow, I'm glad Michael is doing well, and I pray he continues to be excited and work hard.

What's up my homies?! I'm just chilin here in Ohio. ha my first area is Called St. Mary's which is the farthest away from the mission home you could possibly get. This area covers about 12 towns and we live in the town of St. Marys. It's definitely a new experience! my Trainers name is Elder Hernandez, he is from so. cal.
Now that I'm here in Ohio it isn't really that much faster to do dear elder or just normally write so it isn't that big of a deal whatever you may use. also you can e-mail if you would like but since we use the computers in a library we are timed for a half hour and sometimes we have more time to use if there isn't anyone waiting so we'll see what happens I guess.
Kirtland is a really nice area, and the Temple is so different than what i thought it was going to be, and then we went to the newell k. whitney store where joseph translated and the school of the prophets was. It's really interesting to think that I have walked and been in the same places as Joseph smith ( but not down here in st. marys because it is like a 4 hour drive away! ha)
the apartment is, well, a missionary appartment haha it's only elder hernandez and i in there. the next set of missionaries are 40 minutes away and after that it is another 40 minutes to more missionaries. so we are definitely far away from everyone else.
oh yeah! I had my first experience flying too. but that wasn't bad, i mean it's only a plane ;) it sounds like all is well back at home from when i called on tuesday. but anyway if you are going to send me something it need to be like this
Elder Michael Stone
1810 winston dr.
St. Marys, OH 45885
If you do it like that then i will get it! ha so just make that known and that would be great, I'm here for the the next 6 weeks. also if you send a package to the mission home they can only forward it to me if you send it through usps. not ups, fedex or whatever. also if you do send it to the mission home it needs to be Elder Michael Stone. not just elder stone.
I'm still not fully adjusted to this eastern time zone thing. But i was a never good sleeper to start with so you know me, always to sneak in naps right? ;P just kidding.
I know this E-mail is really out of order and stuff, and it's not our P-day (cause that's monday) but i just don't really know where to go yet. we have three real investigators and two with dates from the last transfer, also we are meeting with some recent converts and a couple less actives. I haven't met them yet so when i do and when i get to know them i will tell you.
Monday we have a 'Zoned out' where we are going to the Johnson farm in kirtland, hopefully that will be good, we just get to drive for a million hours thats all ha ;) the culture here is already pretty dang different, there is so much diversity haha, and i haven't even seen much! the neighborhoods are old and stuff like you would see on tv and movies. and water towers all over, it's so flat!!! the humidity is nice though when it isn't too hot, it's cooler today and yesterday than when we first got here. that day was so dang hot! ah haha. anyways life is good, hopefully it doesn't drag on, and guess what?! i'm in a driving area ha lucky me! most area's are actually driving from what it seemed at the transfer meeting yesterday, but eventually my luck will run out and i will be on a bike before i know it! (knock on wood!) ha I hope I can Stay busy, The other missionaries told me that if i stay busy things will be a lot better so i'm going to try to do that. Last week Elder Hernandez said they did about 13-14 hours of tracting and the mission goal is only 7 so i'm hoping that we will be able to find people who are ready to be taught and that we will be able to teach them so we can do a great job.
Love you all.
Elder Michael Stone
p.s. Missionaries love packages! (and if you're not family, letters also ha)

Leaving the MTC!!

No e-mail this week, because Michael left the MTC this morning to fly to Cleveland. We got a wake up call at about 6:00 this morning. We didn't get to talk very long, and we kept losing the connection and having to call back. We woke everyone up to say hi, some of us were more coherent than others. Michael sounds great, he's excited to go, and ready to get to work! He'll spend today in training at the mission home, tomorrow they go to visit Kirtland, and then either tomorrow or Thursday they'll go to their areas and meet their trainers. There were 16 elders flying out today, so they will have a good group at the same level. I hope Michael gets a good trainer, I hear that kind of sets the tone for the rest of the mission. I know he'll do a great job and be a wonderful missionary!

2nd email

Hey Mom and everyone else!

Things are good, just getting sick of the routine, I guess it is a good thing that I'm not here learning chinese. It would be cool but I would probably go crazy! haha well I have one more week, we got our travel papers on saturday and we are leaving tuesday morning around 4 so I will be able to call home around 5 or 530 so be awake and we can chat a bit because when I get to ohio my P day is on monday.

Last night was our last devo. and Elder Holland came to talk. It was really good, he talked about how important it is for me, all missionaries to be here and the coolest thing about it was that he didn't have a written talk. He just got up and talked to us about how much they love us and appreciate what we do, but they also don't apologize because they know they are asking alot and that it is really required to do the lords will. Before the devo started i saw kelly so i went to talk to him to try to find out who it was, because they don't tell you. so i went up and asked and he said that i wasn't suppose to know so i asked straight up if it was elder holland cause of that one time long ago when i shook his hand and he kissed ammon remember? so becuase of that we were really close to meeting him, but no cigar. haha

The other day when you got a text from him i went and found him in his office and we talked for a bit and just a little bit of catching up and stuff you know? it was a really good talk if you ask me ha. He is such a good guy. anyways, the elder from the tricities doesn't know the halversons, he is from pasco which is the town over. so I have a list of stuff i would like in that package... ;) I would really like a calander with the birthday's already put it in ha cause come on, Michael is bad at remembering birthday's! also if you could send me a line of authority that would be pretty cool to have too. that's all that came to my mind but you are always welcome to send more if you think i will need it, cause mom know's best right? so how's ammon doing? is he still the "tough guy" is he enjoying football?

This one is for scott and his family. thanks guys for the package, (if you didn't get my letter, i sent it to my mom ha) and thanks for the lettter and keeping me updated, and i really appreciate it and all the thought. but i have one request for you, Spanish fork football is interesting becuase you know that's my old team but if you could try to refrian from speaking about it and sending me articles that would be great. I appreciate the thought and everything i just don't want anything to be able to distract me from the work that i am doing. so don't take that as an offense because i really appreciate your letters.

Mother, back to you. just so you know, missionary mall hemmed my pants too short so I'm going to get them let out about an inch or so today before we head out to Ohio. I can't believe that I am almost out of here, I'm really excited to actually teach people during the day instead of having four hours of study time that i can't focus for all of it. ( just a good amount ;)

I had an experience last thursday that really got me frustrated, we were in the TRC again teaching this lady who is "baptist" and she was so unreceptive and so ugh you know, it was like you couldn't even talk to her because she didn't give you a good answer or even ask questions! so as we were teaching i was just like why are we here, she isn't acting like she want's them missionaries here! after we got out i was so mad i punched a brick walll... stupid huh? do we remember the last time i got so mad i punched something? yeah it never happens, I was so upset with the way she acted, but later that day and throughout this last week i just realized that i wish my other investigator in the TRC was like that because I need to get use to rejection and not doing well becuase I have never been ignored like that before in my life so it was really hard with the way she acted, but it's good for me and I realized that so i just need to keep me head up and pray to heavenly father that he will take me to the finish line because i can only go so much.

King comes in today!!! I'm looking for him! that would be so cool to run into him here, I wish i knew what time he was coming in so i could find him as he came in. we'll see what happens but i'm so happy that he has finally made it this far. I can't wait until JR and Matthew can be here. Matt finally finished his papers by the way! so they will be in soon! i'm so proud of him for finally getting it done!

This one is for Kaylee Johnson, I know I wont get a letter back but that's okay. I just wanted to show that I haven't forgotten anyone. ;) How is work going with the old person home and the reception work? I hope it's going good. Have you met any friends that you don't work with? haha school starts soon too yeah? I hope your family has adjusted well. I'm doing good so don't fret haha.

I Don't have much else to say because the MTC is really repetitive in its ways and schedule so i can't thing of anything else to tell you all. so ta ta for now. TTFN!! ;)

I love you all. Michael

August 18, 2010 First E-mail

We got Michael's first e-mail today. It makes me so happy to know that he is doing so well! It makes it a lot easier for me to know that he is happy and excited about the work. Hopefully he can keep it up!

Hey! everything is going good, I hope that you recieved my letter in the mail the other day. for in the future if you would use dearelder to send e-mails that would be great because I only have 30 minutes of time here on myldsmail. so if you would use that i would be able to write better e-mails you know? haha The life here is really good, the way i can always feel the spirit is more comfort for me to know that I am doing the lords work and what is right.

my companion is Elder Ryan Frandsen. he is a really good guy from monroe utah. our district is really cool, we all get along really well. there is one elder who is from the tricities in washington. and he is pretty funny, i just thought i would tell you that because thats where the cuz's live. well anyways life here is okay. the routine is getting a bit old and i can't wait to get into the mission field.

we have worked on talking to investigators and how to get to know them and how to really care for them. I do really well at that! we taught a lesson in the TRC the other day which means teaching resource center. The sister we taught i could tell that she really felt the spirit that we brought, teaching with the spirit is the most powerful thing that i have ever done before in my life. as we went to talk about the restoration we got to the first vision and i went to find it and my companion through me under the bus and made me try to say it from memory haha. but anyways i didn't know it and so i had to become the mouthpeice for the spirit. i was so overcome with the spirit i could bearly speak. but as i did my best saying it we could just feel the spirit fill up the room. we were swimming with the holy ghost!!! ;)

Elder Frandsen and I have spent this first week here in the MTC in our own room and today we get two new elders to share with so that will be interesting because we have the smallest room, we are going to give them a little initiation if you know what i mean! The food here is okay. the second night i ate a chicken fried steak and it totally messed up my bowels!!!!! those days were so so so aweful because i was so uncomfortable. i also think that i might have gained a couple pounds the first little bit here because i ate so much, but i decided to cut back so i will have a six pack when i come home! ha

I just have some requests for you to send.... so if you could send me some more ties.. half of mine are blue and some variety would be nice ;) an elder told me that you can get 100 for $80 dollars on e-bay, if thats true, i would not know.. but the same is starting to kill me. but if you could send me a hoodie ( the blue AE one), ibuprofen in a big bottle, some gum or mints, a callander with birthdays on it because we all know how bad i am at remembering those! oh its Jayme's birthday today! LOVE YOU SISTER!!! WHERE iS MY LETTER?! I hope you have a good day jayme! also i think i might need some fruit snacks or some type of gummy and pens and maybe a dp or two or three.... maybe more haha. I'm glad the Souisa's decided to go to church and hopefully they will continue to attend church. I have learned a lot here in the MTC.

My patience has increased in just a week, and my desire to do what is right has enlarged as well. the distractions that i have had in life are no longer distractions here, (except when i see a cute sister, then a thought pops to my head of course! ;) ) but the cell phone, tv all my life at home is in the past, i have some hard times but knowing that the lord wants me here and that there are blessings in store for me for doing is work and his will that will help me be successful and happy in life.

Last night we had a devotional with Elder walter F. gonzales from the presidency of the 70 and he and wife spoke to us. what really stood out to me was that his wife said that the lord calls us now because we have what he wants. so do not ever think that you are not ready for anything. you are aware of the concern that i had that i wasn't ready, that is no longer a doubt. with the help of the spirit and of the great teachers here i have progressed a lot. My first day here i felt so welcome! everyone is so happy here. also on my first day i ran into trevor randolph and chris olson and chris left that monday. it is so cool to see all of these people that i know doing the lords work and that we are in the same army. I know that i am not here alone, just so you know my p day is wednesday and sorry dad my temple time is in the afternoon. oh yeah! i forgot my oil vile, if you will send it to me that would be soo awesome! i hope all is well.

i don't really know what else to say haha my time is almost up and please know that I love you all and please pray for me and the investigators that i run into. I love you and you and you and you

Love, Elder Michael Stone

PS. use Deear elder please! and tell jayme with a closet that big, responsibility comes. hahaha tell matthew he just needs to love ammon and get along because families are forever and we want to be happy with them. I have realized that while i have been here family is key to most everyone's life, and we are so blessed that we have the knowledge of the lord our savior and that we can be together forever and all eternities.

The Beginning of the Adventure

I am starting this blog for friends and family who would like to see updates on Michael, his mission, and my thoughts and feelings about his mission. I am also doing this as a sort of journal for Michael, as I'm not sure how faithful he will be with his journal writing.
His current address is :
Elder Michael Stone
Ohio Cleveland Mission
MTC Mailbox #188
OH_CLE 0831
2005 N. 900 E.
Provo, UT 84604-1793

We took Michael to the MTC on Wednesday, Aug. 11. It was a little emotional for all of us, but my boy was ready to go. He got out of the car and said, "See you guys later!" I had to ASK for a hug!! Yeah, we'll see who's asking in two years... Okay, probably me, but I had to try. We got our first letter on Monday the 16th. He is doing great, and loves the MTC. He has bonded with the other elders in his district, and is just soaking up the spirit every day. It does my heart good to hear things like that.