Basketball as a teaching tool.....

Hey Everyone,

Another transfer down in the books. Today we got transfer information. I'm not going anywhere, neither will I leave anytime soon. Our zone is getting changed up a lot though. Every campus companionship is getting moved around. That means that Elder Tew and I get to shuttle everyone around on transfer day. We have to pick up Elder's Brian, Buticofer and Bond's stuff so that they can put in on the transfer van. Then the next morning we will pick up everyone and take them to transfer spots. I feel like a dad getting everyone ready for the big trip, but I don't get to go. I just have to pack up everything and take them to their destination. It's going to be a hectic day.
I meant to send the camera home these last couple of weeks, but I've been lazy. Sorry. I will send it with the card this week. I promise. I will go get a new camera, maybe you can fix mine and give it to Megan or Shannon. I do need to take more pictures. Not a lot happened this transfer, but it still would have been nice to have some pictures.
This week has been a very short one. We have done a lot of service lately. It's been great. On Friday we went to Loretta's house to help her paint. She is friends with the Matkin family. Bishop Matkin is our bishop in 4th ward. We go over every Saturday to help work on her house. It's really old. They use limestone as bricks for the outside wall. It's not the sturdiest foundation. The inside is falling apart too, but they have been working on it for years. It does look very nice and has a lot of potential. Loretta home schools her kids. That takes up most of her time and makes it hard to work on her house. Sis Matkin called us and told us to go over and help. It gives us an opportunity to serve and she can ask questions while we work. It's been great so far.
Saturday we did some more service. We went to a garden in downtown Tallahassee to pull weeds. Two Senior Sister missionaries invited us to help them with other volunteers. It was pretty boring, but after we got to go look at the art exhibit. There was a crazy painting called 'The Preacher'. It was a black preacher with hair going everywhere, and what looked like condemning someone. Maybe the on lookers. It was nuts.
After service we went to play basketball in the park. We found this place to play by the Ronald McDonald House. We've been by a couple times, and the guys there are getting to know us better. We're getting to know them better too. We play for about two hours, talk to the guys and almost every time the church comes up. So by the end of basketball we're telling them about our mission and they're telling us about how they got shot at and almost got killed. One guy, DC, asks us every time we're there. "Have you ever been shot at? It'll change your life. You won't sin anymore." I don't know how accurate his statement is, but he sticks with it nonetheless. I wear the BYU shirt that Kristen gave me for my birthday. It also brings up good conversations. This week was kind of like a Utah tribute. Chris, one of the players, claims that he doesn't play flashy, instead he plays like John Stockton. Solid and basic. DC, after losing a battle with me under the rim, called me a cougar and said something about Jimmer Fredette. (SP?) It was great to hear some Utah references. Basketball is a great way to talk to people. I beat them on the dribble, then tell them I'm from Utah. It's like a double confused look.
We taught Phil on Saturday too. We shared a couple of scriptures and got on the topic of "giving everything to God". He told us the story of Job and how that has happened to him about 3 times. We asked him if he could do it now? He said "yes". We continued and shared with him the story of the King of the Lamanites, who would "give away all my sins to know thee". We again asked Phil if he would give everything to God. "Yes", he said again, gaining a little more confidence. "Will you give up your time, energy and effort to come to church and worship God." He wasn't ready for that. It's a lot easier to say "I will give up everything" rather than "I will do everything". Giving up is passive and usually is confused with Laziness. Patience and Enduring Well does not include laziness. Work is the difference. You can lose everything, but will you work to get it back. Like Job. Will you do everything you can to get it all back? Keep the commandments, love your neighbor, pray, read, go to church, etc. Phil said "yes", and we told him he would be blessed. That Sunday, Phil didn't come to church. No work, no blessings.
It's sad to see, but it happens a lot. The more I'm out here the more I see myself doing that in high school and college. Sad Memories. It does help to have these two years to get everything back together. I continue to remember the words of my parents. Its surprising how much I remember when I'm out here. I'm grateful to you mom and dad, for everything that you have given me, everything that you have shown and taught me, and everything that you will continue to show me. It's the best blessing to have. A happy home.
I love all of you,
Elder Call

from Tallahassee

Hello Everyone,

I have really know idea about what happened this week. It seems that everything is becoming a blur. The days are all one. I wake up, exercise (P90X), get ready(shave, shower,get dressed), eat breakfast (something easy like eggs and black beans), Personal Study (always filled with the Book of Mormon), Companionship study (not as good as personal, but sets a nice tone for the conversations the rest of the day), and then it's out the door. Everyday is the same, with a few exceptions, and it all seems like one big day. The weeks seem like they go faster than the days go. I don't know how to explain it, but that's what it's like. Monday - Sunday is one big day, then the weeks over. Its really weird.
This week we had zone conference. It was fantastic. We always begin on course, doing the things we have planned and prepared, then we take a detour and find ourselves exactly where we want to be. Its really a profound doctrine. We let go of our pride and let the spirit take over. Everyone is invited to share what they have prepared and what they are thinking and feeling. The spirit is present as we prepare to do the things we learn. And all the tangents we go on are led by the spirit. It was a spirit packed meeting that left us in awe, wanting to work harder than before. Thats usually what zone conferences do.
In my interview with President Summerhays, he told me that I was right on track. Just doing good things. Sounds like a good compliment, but to me it just feels like another part of the 'blurr effect'. Nothing to focus on, just keep doing the little things. Wake up, exercise, etc. All the days are becoming one. My hope is that when it's all said and done, I can look back and see the progress. Kind of like looking at the canvas from far away after its completed.
I'm really glad to hear that Megan is doing good. It's going to be sad when I come home and still can't beat her in tennis. Someday though, I'll win. I talk with Lauren McCreless a lot (her husband is the Ward Mission Leader). FSU tennis is now in the sweet 16 and Lauren is the most winningest player in Florida State History!!! In both singles and doubles. It's her senior year and she is going out with a bang! I'll have to send you something cool. Lauren will coach for the Lincoln High school tennis team next year.
Anyway, being on the mission is awesome. It seems like I've been here forever. 4 of the boys will hit their year marks in the next couple of weeks. Including me!!!
I love you all.
Elder Call

Happy Mother's Day!

Hello Y'all,

I loved talking to you guys. Probably just as much as you did with me, I hope. The Christmas call was a little weird. Not knowing what to say or what was going to happen. This time was a lot more productive. I loved the feeling I felt after I talked to you guys. I didn't feel homesick at all. I just felt like I took a pit stop in the family station and I'm back on the road. Perfect.
So there is not much to add onto what we talked about last night. However, there are always stories to share.
Last Tuesday I went down to Crawfordville with Elder Waters. We had a great time working. It was also really hot. Anyway, we had a lesson with a girl named Heather. The Hollet family invited us to their house and Heather was there too. Lesson Time! We shared with the Ether 12. Just a few scriptures on faith, then left the rest to them and the spirit. Allowing everyone a chance to speak after each verse. Testifying and teaching after each comment. Learning all at the same time. It was great. At the end I bore my testimony. Nothing crazy. Just, "I know that these things are true, because they make me happy. I read because it makes me happy. I go to church because it makes me happy. I follow the commandments because it makes me happy. I know these things are true because they make me happy." Nothing much, right? If you were to bare your testimony right now, what would you say to answer the question, "How do I know?"
I didn't think about it too hard. I just said what I felt. Heather felt it too. She had been investigating for some time. She has read most of the Book of Mormon and has been to church very frequently. However, during the entire time she has been learning about the gospel, she has never heard a missionary say 'why he knew that it was true'. Sad huh? We know that the Book of Mormon is true. We know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet. But why do we keep following? Why do we work when we already know the results. Church doesn't change. The Book of Mormon doesn't change. God doesn't change, he continues to reveal his word, but he doesn't change. If we already know the out come of all of these, why do we keep going? There can and should be a lot of answers. Mine is because it makes me happy. Not as the world views or gives happiness, but as He gives it. I love this gospel and follow the counsel of Prophets from ancient times as well as these times, because it makes me happy.
I love you all, Happy mothers day mom. I love you.
Elder Call.

Mother's Day is Coming......

Hello Everyone,
Another week down and I'm at 11 months!! Today is my 11 month anniversary. Yay! Only 13 more months to go.
That is so cool that so many of the young men are going on missions. Chase is an old one. Argentina will be good to him. Creole for Tim. That will be fun to speak in Florida. All we have are English and Spanish in Tally.
I miss trek. I was so young when I went. I do remember sleeping through the testimony meeting. Good thing you were there mom. That would have been a rough week without you. Being a Ma and Pa sounds so much fun. I can't wait for a calling in young mens. What would be better than to spend my time with boys. I've been thinking that when I get home I want to coach. Baseball or Basketball. That would be so much fun to be with young boys and teach them how to play.
Well this week has been crazy. We have received a lot of referrals from members, finding new investigators and trying to work with less actives. All of which has increased dramatically in the last week. It could have been because Elder Tew and I went to Crestview this week. That took a full day out of our week. So it was like a 6 day week.
Kevin is getting baptized this week. He is so excited. At church his brothers and him were smiling, really big. His grandfather is coming from Wisconsin to perform the baptism. Its going to be great. Everything is ready, and I don't have to do anything but sit and watch. We will also be doing the confirmation the same day. Usually they do it during sacrament meeting the following Sunday for converts, but his Grandparents are leaving for North Carolina the next day. So Baptism and Confirmation.
We have had a couple of really great lessons this week. Both on Tuesday. First was supposed to be with a man named Rich, but he wasn't there. Instead we taught his roommate, Milton. Milton is a really nice man who knows a lot about the Bible. He has also been to a lot of churches. He was naming them off and I think he got to a dozen different churches. He's still looking. We shared a few scriptures with him and he shared with us his thoughts a feelings. It was amazing. He told us about how he is struggling with his girlfriend; he believes that everything we receive in this life is a gift from God; how he has been to so many churches, that they talk the talk, but fail to walk the walk; he knows that we talk the talk AND walk the walk. Milton is great. He is an Elder for his church and travels all over, but at the same time he knows that there is something missing. We're going back this Tuesday.
Our other lesson was with Sheila. She works for the Martin family (members) as their secretary for their Vending Company. Old Bro Martin gave her a Book of Mormon the other day. She had been reading bits and pieces here and there. She has also been to a lot of different Churches. She has a young son and they are looking together. She said that she went to a Jewish church and had a bad experience. Not only was it different for her, after the service a woman came up to her and told her she didn't belong. We have heard some crazy stories of churches out here. I hope no one sees our church as that way. Everyone deserves to have a good experience. We taught Sheila with younger Bro Martin. (Father-Son business) We gave her a chapter to read and asked the Martins to bring her to church. We don't know if she has read yet, but she didn't come to church. We are going back this week to teach her again.
We have also received a referral from Bishops wife, Sis Matkin. Bro and Sis Matkin are Professors at FSU, I think, at least Bro Matkin is. They have some friends who are professors too. One actually taught at University of Utah! About 15 years ago though. We went over to see her (I'm blanking on her name). Sis Matkin asked us to help with service. Her friends home is falling apart and they need some help. So on Friday we will be doing a lot of house work. We are just supposed to be friendly and answer questions.
Its been a great week. Zone Leader Council was great as well. President Summerhays is going home soon and we're preparing for the new mission President. Its going to be a big transition.
Love Y'all,
Elder Call

PS Do you guys know by chance any Rogers? They moved to Alpine last summer. Elder Rogers, their son is out here. He'll be playing football for the University of Utah. Random, but just wondering.
PPS I can't wait to call you guys.