Hey there,

The week was pretty fulfilling. My stuffing was, in my opinion, better than the other two that we had. According to Elder Furtney it was only better than one of them. eh, more for me ha ha. I hope they are good looking shoes that they send, because it's the better looking of the two that I have that is falling apart, and guess what? I got bit by a freaking dog tracting the other day so now I have some ripped pants, will they replace that too? I sewed it back up so you can't see through it but it made me mad. If they will replace them, it's the blue pinstripe suit pants, but I need them two inches longer because they were short when I first got them ( I got them Let out in st. Mary's).

Thanksgiving was interesting. The people in this ward are so different, I mean It's almost awkward to be around them. So for most of the day we just kind of sat around. The morning was good though, we had a Turkey bowl and I totally dominated! It has been a really long time since I have been able to play a competitive game of football. I thoroughly enjoyed it. we'll have to get a turkey bowl set up for next year! ha ha yes.

Don't plan on me giving a good homecoming talk. I'm going to keep it short and sweet. I will read from the scriptures the Entire time! Just kidding. I'm not even sure. It's still forever away. That's crazy that **** came clean on the day of his farewell. That would have been annoying for his family and those who were going to attend. It is a good thing though that he did decide to repent beforehand. Otherwise that would have made things way more difficult for him while he was on his mission.

Transfers are next week already. That's pretty quick. It's been my fastest transfer yet. Strange. I'm not quite sure what will happen. I would like to leave, Honestly. This ward here is so sad, it's difficult to work with. I mean we don't even Have a ward mission leader. Plus, I would really like to get a companion that I don't have to raise and teach. Bless their hearts, but Sometimes you need someone to drag you over the wall (that I'm at) instead of climbing over it yourself. He's a good guy and all but just doesn't completely get it yet and is still really young in his maturity. If I stay though I'm pretty sure I will only be here for six more weeks. I really don't think that I will be here too long.

The rough thing is, all we do is tract too. We really only have one investigator, who, without his fellowshipper (whom he lives with... We are going to have to work that out here soon) Can't do anything because he's had three strokes and can't drive and then the side effects of all of those things causes communication problems and so forth. It's a bit frustrating, but it's been going well. I have been able to remain up-beat and positive in the work and always looking for things and new people to teach. It's so different because I understand the gospel and the purpose of missionary work so much more. I've changed completely since I first embarked on this sojourn.

It's quiet here. Not too much going on. Just really seeking for greater knowledge and further enlightenment. The gospel is pretty interesting at times. ha, well. I can't really believe that it's already December (basically). It's insane.

I attached some pictures of my pants. If they can't do anything that's fine, I will just make them my tracting pants and I wont wear them to meetings. I did a fairly decent fix on them so I'm not too concerned or bothered by it.

welp, I'm not sure what else to talk about.

Tuesday next week. Be there or be square.

Love ya.

--
Elder Michael Stone.

Hello.

That does not surprise me about Ammon at all! I could have predicted something like that a few years ago... It is a good thing though that it happened now so he can learn what it's like. He is lucky too because isn't there a rule that talks about if you get in a wreck or something with your permit you have to wait Longer after you are 16 to get your license? That's pretty funny though that He freaked out that much... poor guy ;P

Remember in Ether, You don't receive a witness until after the trial of your faith. Trials come in all sorts of ways. Even something like this. Just trust in God totally and completely. I just re-read and listened to a talk from Elder Christofferson from the October 2010 conference that talks about living a consecrated life. My favorite line out of it is this: True success in this life comes in consecrating our lives葉hat is, our time and choices葉o God痴 purposes (see John 17:1, 4; D&C 19:19). In so doing, we permit Him to raise us to our highest destiny.
Choices to act, rebel, doubt, etc. Is not success. God is our Heavenly Father mom, He loves you more that you can even fathom. Things temporal are good, but things spiritual are Amazing. Keep the faith and he will always bless you. Don't forget he is the great "I AM" he is always watching and loving. I'm glad that you were able to have this experience and see that we are blessed even when things go array. I love you mom.

Matthew has gotten really big! I looked at those pictures and wow. Jordyn and Bella too. That's crazy. (Bella is still a little tomboy).

Utah missionaries don't need leftovers... Just in case you feed them, but, Ohio ones do. AI think we have about two lined up for thanksgiving. Our main one is with an older lady that lives with her dad. (when I say Older I think she may only be in her 50's...) but we have the whole day off so we are trying to get in with some other people so we have something to do all day. I think we are going to be able to go over to another members who has kids and we can spend a good chunk of the day with them. we are going to play in their turkey bowl too. It's been a few weeks since I've been able to play football. So I'm pretty excited about that.

I think that ward you are in now may get lifted up like the city of Enoch soon. I mean ten Missionaries and two deacons quorums. Holy Crap! We have had some big wards in the past in the old house. but not like that.

Why three Christmas stockings for next year? babies? I wont be married and I already have one.

I need new shoes. Here are some pictures of the hole I have in them

Things are still different here. I have been having the hardest time discerning the spirit. I feel like I have been living more righteous now then I ever have before so I have been immensely blessed with the spirit but at times I feel it and I don't completely understand what It's trying to tell me or teach me. Then like last night I had the prompting that we had to get out of a neighborhood, so I followed it and Then it kind of diminished to be about a half-way feeling for the next five minutes or so. It's been a bit frustrating that I haven't been able to understand what God wants me to know. I have been doing a lot of praying and studying to figure it out and understand properly. But, yet, not to much avail. It's really starting to bother me too. Work isn't going too well, but we are fulfilling purpose so I'm happy and I'm enjoying work and continuing to do Gods will. It's just the fact that maybe it's more surreal than in has been in the past but I really don't know what it is. I know I'm not just going through the motions. That's foolish. I have been able to grow still. Just not figure out what this feeling is. It's so indescribable. I try not to think about it that much, but it just eeks in. It could possibly be that I'm on the back end of my mission now, I still have tons of time left to live life and to do work. I'm not sure.

Anyways. Don't eat too much stuffing without me this week. we have some stuffing mixes at our apartment and I'm buying some sausage today so I can make some for myself! mmm it's soo good.
That's about it.
Love ya.

--
Elder Michael Stone.

Hey mom,

Ha, well you see, we live where we live and we don't throw a fit... haha I do what I can... It's actually not too cold yet. It's definitely getting there though. That's for sure. Things have been going really well with the ward. I mean, The bishop is totally our man now. We Just have to continue to work with him to teach him his role when it comes to missionary work. They are supportive, They just don't know what they are suppose to do. (and they wonder why there are so many less-actives?) We get fed a lot. Best thing about it too, is they are ones who give leftovers! so we don't have to buy as much! yeah! I mean the ward loves missionaries from what I can tell, They Just don't know how to do missionary work. at all. It's a work in progress and things are going to happen, just for some reason though it's getting pretty much postponed until the holidays are over. It's takes time to build a Ward Mission Process and plan. Also we are going to do a 40 day fast as well. It's just not going to happen until Jan. 1st.

I thought Ammon loved wrestling? He does this every year though. I mean he did really well last year and isn't he suppose to do really well this year too? Besides, what is this crossfit thing? For some reason, I don't know why, but he has always hated to do difficult things. I don't understand. Hard things makes us better and improve ourselves! Heber J. Grant loves this quote, he based his life around it. I have learned to love it as well. It's by Ralph Waldo Emerson, Which Says:
“That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased.”

That's it. If you want to improve, Continually do difficult things.

It's driving too, I mean geez. School isn't that far away and I'm sure he has friends that can drive too. You know as well. If he does end up wrestling and then not doing good he is going to get frustrated and want to quit then too. The reason for him not doing well is because he wants to drive more than wrestle so he will miss practice. (there is always webbs workouts too.;) That boy...

Jordyn has no teeth at all. holy cow.

Ever since I have been here, Things feel so different. It's quite strange. I'm doing work, I'm doing everything that I am suppose to and that I want to. There is just this off and different feeling that I just don't know what it is and why it's here. I mean It's very clear what my purpose is here. To help Elder Furtney learn his purpose and to build member to missionary relations teaching them what their role is when it comes to missionary work. The Latter doesn't surprise me because I've had to do that is all but one of my area's, unfortunately I wish I could go back to Wadsworth and redo it because I didn't do the greatest there. But from Barberton on, that has been one of the number one things that I have had to do. So, I understand my purpose, and my purpose here. I just don't know why it feels so different because everything is going the way that it needs to. I mean boy are we being diligent and obedient. We are doing everything in our bonds to be as righteous as we possibly can. I will figure it out eventually. oh well.

Hmm.. we get to teach a fair amount. Just not too much going on yet.

P.S.

Oh yes. G.C. cd's available yet? also, I would like and appreciate it if you were to send me some thermals. (I'm down to a waist of about 30-29 now..) OR my Wrestling tights that I never got last year... I don't intend on freezing at all this year like last year.

Also, With UVU, were you able to fill out scholarship applications?

ha, I just sent you what I needed really. Maybe on top of that some inspirational talks given by G.A's on cd or just printed out.

I know ammon can't handle stress. he needs to Chill. That's all. He needs to be pushed. Tell him to figure it out! haha

a 40 day fast is after what Christ did in the wilderness when he was tempted by satan. So, that is 40 families or people fast one day for 40 days. with the purpose of being missionary work. In this ward in particular it will be able to find someone to investigate or reactivate within 40 days of their fast. It's powerful.

Love ya.

--
Elder Michael Stone.

Hey mom,

...and everyone else.

I'm one of the oldest tenure-wise in my zone too. It's so strange that the entire mission changed in a matter of months. It's crazy how many more missionaries come out during the summer than all of the other months. man. I don't know why they send me border to border, but seemsd like eventually I will end up in the middle around Kirtland and Cleveland right? haha who knows. For transfers, if you are being out-zoned you go to Kirtland at the stake center there and we have a big meeting where you are told where you are going, Then you throw your stuff into the truck and head out. So, I drove a ton on transfer day. Elder Furtney is from Cedar City and he has been in warren the entire three months he has been out.

This ward isn't too active in missionary work or even too excited about it for that matter so we have been trying to get on the good side of the leaders, mainly the Bishop. So we have been trying to get names of people from him to go see and update him with people that we do see as often as we can. Yesterday the both of us fasted to be able to work better with him and the rest of the ward getting them to become more missionary minded and so on and so forth. It seemed to go really well because we proposed a way for the ward to become more active in PEC and then later that day we went and ate dinner with the Bishop and his family. We shared a powerful lesson and told his wife, who is working on some of her friends that we would come back later and help her know how she can invite them to learn about the Gospel. It was very good and miracles will happen with hard work and becoming united with the ward. That is the key: the members.

Hey, It's alright, you weren't the only one who was getting annoyed by their bodies this week. My eye was annoying me so I had to wear my glasses for about half of the week. I don't like wearing those very much, but my eyes are a-ok now. Just needed a break! haha. I've been trying to eat a lot healthier this week too. I needed to turn my eating habits around, so I didn't buy any freezer food and so I'm hoping to be able to keep it up for awhile, and if I fall I will still be eating healthier than I was. I gotta get myself in shape!

I met that Brandon Ruiz guy once at state, He signed one of my shirts! I know it was pretty cool. he is a big guy.

Don't get a Mazda 5, those are like wannabe mini-vans. They are super ugly and really really small! Get a Pilot! or a Hyundai elantra or sonata. They are good looking cars.

This weekend I did a lot of pondering on discerning the promptings of the spirit. It's an intersting thing to think about and try to understand. There was instance where I felt the spirit so strongly and I didn't know why. I didn't know what to do either so I was praying asking to be able to know what I needed to do, but I couldn't discover what it was that I needed to do unfortunately.

Wanna hear a Crazy story? So, we don't live in the best part of town (plus everyone is black...) and one night I woke up around 3:30 to what I thought was a gunshot. I was like, oh crap... then I heard this terrifying scream of this lady (she was black too, You could tell) probably the most terrifying and stomach rentching thing I have ever heard in my life. Then I heard that sound again and Either the guy was beating the tar out of her or destroying something, I figured they were drunk or high, I looked out the window to try to see what was going on. Thankfully there was a tree there blocking my vision. But I just laid there and listened to this woman yell and scream "NOOOO aahhh" I can't remember exactly, but oh man It made me sick! I felt like I could have thrown up right there at that time! oh man, I was then so grateful for where we live where we don't have to put up with crime and all the other nonsense that goes on out here. It's pretty crazy. I don't really appreciate it, but, We do what we can and keep ourselves out of trouble! ;)

This last week we have set the trend of inviting everyone we see to be baptized, man it's such a great feeling. we are teaching this man named michael who has had three strokes. he came to church and has a baptismal date. we are hoping to be able to see some amazing things take place here.

Love ya!
--
Elder Michael Stone.
P.s. Here is a picture of my shoe.. I don't know if they will or can replace it. I haven't had any problems with it letting any water in yet.

Hey Mom,

This week has been good. I'm with a new missionary again. he has only been out three months so it seems like I will be carrying a lot of the load, He isn't too comfortable with teaching or talking to people yet so I'm going to try to shut up for once (I seem to talk a lot these days.. Strange I know) So he can get more practice teaching. He is really shy too so it's easy for me to just keep talking because he is perfectly fine in just sitting in silence and not saying anything. I ended up in a city called Warren, out by PA. So there are some hills here instead of just straight flat. There are a lot more trees here too. My new address is 2922 Dunstan Drive NW Warren OH, 44485. I'm not sure how long I will be here but My hopes aren't for 6 months again. It was fun being in Perrysburg for that long, but 4.5 is a better amount of time. I also hope to be able to help Elder Furtney enough so that he will be capable to train here soon. I guess we'll see what happens.

It's a small ward here. I would have guessed it to be a branch. I think it's only a phase two building. So no pews, a basketball hoop hangs in the chapel, no foyer, etc. Very small. Maybe just a bit bigger than the building in St. Mary's. There are more less-active/inactive people here in this ward though than I have ever seen. So hopefully we will be able to get in to teach a lot of these people and get them back to church. I've done a lot of Less-active work on my mission so I look forward to being able to have a lot to do here. The Bishop, along with the ward, from what I can tell aren't very missionary minded so we are starting to work with them more to help them gain that mindset and hopefully we will be able to be blessed with a lot of people to teach so they can see that we are out working hard and so they will trust us more and become more willing to help us out with things.

We don't have to do anything today. So it's cool. It allows us to have more of a p-day. But, they moved our weekly meeting to tonight so we don't get the entire day off. Oh well. I think this transfer is going to be really neat where I'm going to have to help my district a lot. (granted there are only four of us...) Mainly because My comp. only has three months, the other one only has 4.5 and the last one is brand new getting trained. So it's a really young group that I'm going to be working with.

It's good though that you have to go to the adult classes. sometimes they are interesting... but it's okay, I get bored in my sunday school classes too, mainly because I have to go to gospel essentials so it's the same things that we teach, just more of a basic setting.

I have one set of shoes that has a hole in the heel. It's really small, I thought about getting it replaced but it's not too bad yet so I don't know if they will or not. I'm not too worried about it. I will though when It starts to snow and I get my foot wet because of the hole. Maybe I will send you a picture of it and so you can see what they have to say? Everything else is doing fine for now. I have a few Suit pants that may need to be replaced in the coming months, but they are good right now.

I'm trying to eat a lot healthier, so I have been trying to lay off of the sugars and stuff and I have almost completely stopped drinking soda. I will have a drink every now and then but that's it.

The community here is a lot poorer than all of my other areas as far as I can remember. The majority of the people work at the steel mills so they are union guys and don't get paid too much. There a ton of black people. (all of my areas have been predominately white...) :/ Everyone we have talked to though seems a lot more receptive and somewhat dependable, comparing to the ghetto people of east Toledo. So, I'm excited to be able to work here. The economy here is really bad so everything is kind of trashed because no one can afford to really keep things nice. But no real ghetto from what I have seen.

It's getting cold now too. I'm not really looking forward to it. Now that I'm on the other side of the lake we will get more of a wind-chill and when it snows, more of it. Also, with the winter you never see the sun, not ever. So that's a total drag. I hope to be able to get busy enough to where we aren't outside too much. Just inside teaching a ton of people and baptizing/reactivating. It will be sweet if you ask me.

last night we went to go see a less-active in hopes to teach about missionary work and to receive a refferral, but it went a way I never would have guessed. We asked a question and she just went on about all of the horrible things that she has had to go through with her children and late husband. I had no Idea what to do. I was just thinking, what on earth are we going to share with this sister to help her? I started to pray fervently asking the Lord that we might be able to minister to this sister, and I got nothing. So we just listened and listened for probably half an hour. without really saying a thing. Finally, as I was continuing to pray I was told to open my scriptures and search, I had no Idea what I was going to share. Finally I came across Helaman 6: 35-37 which, if I said the right one, talks about missionary work! I was like woah... Umm we haven't talked about missionary work in forever! But the spirit prompted so I read it. When I had finished reading it to her she wrote it down and her countanance changed. I still have no idea how that applied to her, but God knows and it was evident that his had was shown because Elder Furtney and I don't really know what happened. It was really neat.

Just thought I would share that... anyways... all is good

I'm doing great!

Love ya!

--
Elder Michael Stone.

Hey mom,

The last weeks have been somewhat rough, I guess? If you want to put it that way. We just don't have a single thing going on here in Perrysburg. So we just tract and so there isn't really too much to say when all you do is tract. I am leaving tomorrow though and I will find out where I will be then as well. What I will be doing is the same as I always am. Trying to save souls ;) Thing is of it though, I really have like no clue what to say because there haven't really been any advetures or things to talk about because we have zero investigators currently. So that will be tough for Elder Porter and his new comp, Sucks for them. I Care about it cause I want this area to stay good, but nothing is going on. What will be rough too is in december they are closing the ward building for some remodling. So for three months or so they will have to go to another one down in Bowling Green which is 20 to 30 minutes away for us and we are south of the ward. So it will make it even harder for them to get investigators to church.

That van has lasted a really long time! It's about time that it has gone. But hey, you don't really need to rush to get a new car. You all fit in the Cruiser and how often do you really all drive around together? not too often I would safely assume. Sounds like how the rest of our vacations have gone in the past though. That's pretty rough. I guess dad isn't really going to be able to buy another BMW in the near future eh? haha.

Sounds like a good thing we moved when we did! I'm amazed though at how often that ward still changes, splits and has things added on to it. That's amazing. Wrestling season should be excited for the boys this year though. I'm glad Matthew has decided to do that. Even though he may not do well, it will help him build character, Strength and some confidance. Champions are really good to their boys.

The last few days talking to members it was really interesting and quite humbling to see how much they have appreciated my time. Sometimes as a missionary you somewhat feel like a ghost, or a shadow in the back-ground and no one really knows you or notices you. But I mean I have been here for a good while and I guess I didn't Fully realize the things that have happend and the impact that it has had on the active members. I mean we work with Less-actives and non-members so you know what happens with them and that you have an impact on their lives and that friendship is developed. The active members are not really who you think about that much. so It was nice and humbling, in the largest degree to see how my service to others, and all in as many ways as I could had such a large effect. But I guess that's what happens when the Lord is on your side. Because all of the merits go to Him, Not me. All I tried to do was emulate and become like our savior and act accordingly. So I am in need of great thanks to God for the spirit and blessings he has bestowed on his children here through me and allowing me to take part in his will.

There is more to our purpose here on this earth than most people think. It's amazing.

Love ya!

--
Elder Michael Stone.

Hey mom,

So, I guess I'm going to be getting transferred this next wednesday. Elder Porter was called to train... Interesting, but it will be good for him. And me, I get to leave and my posterity gets to grow. Sweet I know.. haha That's the reason why I'm not e-mailing back until today because our p-day was moved due to the training meeting he had to attend on monday. This week has been good. It's gotten really cold though so not too fun. I'm waiting to pull out my coats but I may have to pull them out sooner than I would like. oh well. I'm curious where I will be, I'm told that I was suggested to leave this side of the state and go back to the other side.

You should make Jenn and Adam help you pay for the basement to get finished, Great Idea... But, I wouldn't put a door there to close off that hall. That would look ugly.. haha my opinion, Is that small third room over there still going to be the weight room? If it's only going to be us three down there they should be fine right? that's enough privacy, it's a fairly large house. But hey, I don't live there currently so I guess I don't really have a say right? ;P

ummm... we are still tracting a lot... We gota Referral from a member, I think I might have told you about this already. but, she has 11 people living in her home and I thing 7 are baptismal age. we finally got in to teach her last sunday and look forward to teaching her again this sunday and setting a baptismal date with her. then we can hopefully work with her family and get them all baptized so this area can remain prosperous and alive for my future posterity ;) I really have no idea what to say... so if you are on currently and would like more let me know and I may stretch some of my random thoughts into more words so you have more to read.

Otherwise, I'll talk to ya tuesday! haha

Love ya!

--
Elder Michael Stone.